NHL
The Dallas Stars entered Thursday night’s matchup at the American Airlines Center desperate to turn momentum in their favor. After three straight regulation losses, the group needed more than a spark—they needed to see the process start to pay off. And for much of the night, that process was on display, even if the end result didn’t go their way in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
Head coach Glen Gulutzan has preached patience through the early-season grind, reminding his team that performance often stabilizes before results follow. That message looked prophetic as Dallas controlled most of the action, winning the shot-attempt battle 58–48 and spending long stretches dictating pace and puck possession. The effort was cleaner, the execution sharper, and the energy unmistakable.
The problem? The Stars just couldn’t solve Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper at even strength. Kuemper stopped all 23 shots he faced five-on-five, frustrating a Dallas squad that otherwise did nearly everything right. “We were good in all departments except the most important one,” Gulutzan admitted postgame. “We created plenty at even strength but couldn’t get one to go.”
Both of Dallas’ goals came on the power play—one each from Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz—as the top unit continued to carry the load. Gulutzan leaned heavily on the group of Robertson, Johnston, Hintz, Heiskanen, and Rantanen, who combined for over six minutes of power-play ice time and went 2-for-5 with the man advantage.
“I think it starts with winning the draw,” Robertson explained. “Our centermen have been great, breakouts are clean, and we’re reloading well. We’re not one-and-done—we’re hunting pucks and reattacking. It’s starting to come together.”
Even with the positives, frustration lingered. The Stars, now 3-3-1, know expectations are higher. “There are things to build on, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to win,” said Wyatt Johnston. “You want the process to be right, but you also really want to see the results.”
The night started with promise, as Dallas came out strong in puck control and tempo. But momentum flipped late in the first period after a costly penalty sequence. Mikko Rantanen’s offensive-zone cross-check led to a 5-on-3 advantage for the Kings, and former Star Corey Perry made it 1-0 from close range.
Robertson responded early in the second period, tying the game on a power play goal after drawing a penalty himself. Yet that boost was short-lived—just over a minute later, another ex-Star, defenseman Cody Ceci, fired through traffic to restore Los Angeles’ lead. Dallas again found itself chasing.
Still, the Stars pushed hard and finally tied it on another power play late in regulation before the Kings delivered the dagger in overtime. Just 37 seconds into the extra frame, Adrian Kempe finished off a 2-on-1 counterattack to silence the crowd.
For Gulutzan, the result stung, but the progress mattered. “As a coach, you have to stay a little more objective,” he said. “You see the signs of growth and you build on them. The goals will come.”
If Thursday was any indication, the Stars might not be far from turning that process into wins.
A better brand, built by Vaughn & Co. ©
