NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Dallas Stars kicked off their season in style, scoring three goals on consecutive shots in the second period to hold off the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Predators came into the game hoping to start strong in front of their home crowd. However, it was the Stars who stole the show, capitalizing on mistakes made by the Predators to take an early lead.
Dallas showed off their impressive speed and skill, with their forward lines creating scoring opportunities from the opening face-off. Their hard work paid off midway through the first period when rookie forward Wyatt Johnston scored his first career goal, giving the Stars an early 1-0 lead.
The Predators looked to even the score before the end of the period, but the Stars' defense held strong. Nashville's best chance came when forward Filip Forsberg found himself alone in front of the net, only to be denied by a spectacular save from Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger.
The second period saw the Stars take control of the game. Dallas scored three goals on consecutive shots, giving them a commanding 4-1 lead. The Predators' defense was left reeling as the Stars' forwards continued to exploit their mistakes.
Nashville refused to give up, scoring two goals in the final period to narrow the deficit to 4-3. However, the Stars' defense held firm, denying the Predators any further scoring opportunities.
The victory marked a thrilling start to the season for the Dallas Stars. They will look to build on this momentum as they travel to face off against their next opponent. The Predators, meanwhile, will be left to ponder what went wrong and how they can bounce back from this tough loss.