Mason Marchment signed a four-year $18-million contract with the Dallas Stars in the offseason and wasted absolutely no time in showing his value as he scored the first two goals of the night and season in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. The Stars under new head coach Pete DeBoer showed what happens when you don’t live and die by the dump and chase and actually create offensive opportunity.
The new, more offensively aggressive Dallas Stars not only impressed on the offensive side of things as they only allowed one goal on a deflection that made its way beyond the reach of Stars goalie Jake Oettinger. Dominating the special teams was another key piece to the Stars impressive victory in Nashville as they blanked the Predators on all five power play chances while capitalizing on two of four chances of their own.
Joe Pavelski netted his first of the season as well as rookie Wyatt Johnston, who scored his first career NHL goal in his first career NHL start. It was made extra special for Johnston as he had his parents in the crowd of the Bridgestone Arena. Tyler Seguin looks to be back to his old ways as well with three assists on the evening in what hopes to be a massive season for the alternate captain.
All in all the first game of the ’22-’23 season could not have gone any better for the Stars who had 29 shots on goal and 18 blocks on top of a stellar evening from Jake Oettinger who stopped 31 of 32 shots. The Stars are back in Dallas for their home opener on Saturday evening as they welcome Nashville to the American Airlines Center for their second of the home-and-home series.
Razor and Josh Bogorad will be on the call. Thank the hockey gods!
The Morning Skate 