Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) lays on the ice alongside defenseman Nils Lundkvist (5) after giving up a goal to St. Louis Blues right wing Dalibor Dvorsky during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
The Stars stumbled into the start of their 2026-27 season.
Dallas (0-1-0) fell to the St. Louis Blues 4-0 in their season opener at American Airlines Center Friday night.
A bloody Dallas Stars right wing Arttu Hyry (25) skates to the penalty box after a fight with St. Louis Blues left wing Jake Neighbours during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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St. Louis Blues right wing Jimmy Snuggerud (21) scores an empty-netter as Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) defends during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan watches play during the third period of the season opening game against the St. Louis Blues on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) hits St. Louis Blues left wing Connor McMichael (77) into the boards during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) smothers the puck in front of defenseman Thomas Harley (55) and St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) pushes the puck up the ice during the third period of the season opening game against the St. Louis Blues on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) lays on the ice as St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (center) plays the puck during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) skates on the ice after returning to the game following a collision with a St. Louis Blues player during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) smiles as he talks at St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) handles the puck in front of St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler (17) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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St. Louis Blues right wing Jonatan Berggren (29) crashes into Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars fans boo after a no penalty was called against St. Louis Blues right wing Jonatan Berggren (29) for crashing into Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) uring the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) grabs his knee after a knee-to-knee hit with St. Louis Blues defenseman Brandon Carlo during the third period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas. Hintz later returned to the game.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) skates to the penalty box to serve a penalty for too many men on the ice during the second period of the season opening game against the St. Louis Blues on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) hits St. Louis Blues right wing Jonatan Berggren (29) into the boards during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) hits St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler (17) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) trips over St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg (6) and goaltender Joel Hofer (30) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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St. Louis Blues left wing Jake Neighbours (63) tosses his gloves as he fights Dallas Stars right wing Arttu Hyry (25) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko (13) skates off the assistance with defenseman Colton Parayko (55) and a trainer after a collision along the boards with two Dallas Stars players during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko (13) lays on the ice in pain after a collision with Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel and center Tyler Seguin (91) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) blocks a shot from Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) during the second period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) skates back during the first period of the season opening game against the St. Louis Blues on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) hits St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas (18) into the boards during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) looks to pass behind the goal of St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (55) plays the puck ahead of St. Louis Blues right wing Jonatan Berggren (29) during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) looks back as the St. Louis Blues hold the puck behind the net during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Joel Kiviranta (22) shoots the puck towards goal as St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) and right wing Dalibor Dvorsky (15) defend during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (81) steals the pucks from Dallas Stars center Sam Steel (18) during the first period of the season opening game on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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A fan takes a selfie as the Dallas Stars warm up before their season opener against the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
A fan takes a selfie as the Dallas Stars warm up before their season opener against the St. Louis Blues at American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson signs autographs for fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) walks through hundreds of fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) high-fives a fan before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Fans wait for Dallas Stars players before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (left) and Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn greet fans and sign autographs before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger autographs a jersey for a young fan before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel greets fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
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Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel waves to fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) walks to the American Airlines Center before the season opener on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars center Sam Steel signs an autograph for Braxton Sevatson, 8, and Nathan Sevatson before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston greets fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston walks past fans before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin signs a cowboy hat for Rockwall resident Olivia Mitchell before the season opener outside the American Airlines Center on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
St. Louis was able to jump out to an early lead that only grew, and the Stars couldn’t close the gap.
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Before Friday, the Stars had won six straight season openers dating back to 2021. They held the longest active streak in the NHL.
Here are five thoughts from the Stars’ loss.
Related: One game in, Dallas Stars already face a familiar offensive question
Messy, costly mistakes hurt Stars
The Stars found themselves trailing just 1:34 into their season.
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Blues defenseman Colton Parayko took a shot that an unmarked Mason McTavish was able to finish off a rebound. The poor defense in front of the net gave Stars goalie Jake Oettinger little chance to stop the rebound.
Dallas struggled to sustain any offensive pressure in the first period outside of a late power play. But even once the Stars managed to control the play for most of the second period, the Blues extended their lead.
Dallas played with the puck a bit too long in the defensive zone, and Oettinger tripped over Roope Hintz. St. Louis’ Dalibor Dvorsky scored into a wide-open net while Oettinger was trying to regain his footing.
The Stars failed to clear a rebound on the penalty kill early in the third period, and Adam Jiricek scored, but the Stars challenged for offsides, and the goal was overturned.
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St. Louis’ last two goals were empty netters.
The Stars knew their first game of the season would have some sloppy moments. But the Blues were able to capitalize on theirs, while the Stars couldn’t produce off the Blues’ mistakes.
Oettinger can’t start season on right note
After missing the entire preseason with lower-body tightness, Friday was Oettinger’s first game action since last postseason.
The Stars goalie didn’t quiet his critics, showing some shakiness in his opening performance.
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Oettinger allowed two goals on 23 shots while St. Louis starter Joel Hofer posted a 25-save shutout.
The Blues’ first goal was more the fault of the Stars’ defense than Oettinger, but the goalie didn’t help himself by giving up a rebound right back into the heart of the play. Then, Oettinger lost his footing — an unintended mistake, but a costly one.
The goalie did have some timely saves, like a point-blank save on Dvorsky after a Thomas Harley turnover in the first period.
Offensive concerns already showing
Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said the team vowed to improve its offense this season and said the underlying numbers weren’t good.
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But after trading away a 20-goal scorer in Mavrik Bourque and beginning the season without a top-six forward in Matt Duchene due to a lower-body injury, that would be easier said than done.
The Stars had their chances on Friday. They had 29 total scoring chances to St. Louis’ 20. They also had four power plays where they had another eight chances, resulting in four shots on goal.
But Dallas was unable to find the back of the net.
After one game, it’s unfair to diagnose a major problem, but the Stars certainly didn’t show any massive offensive improvements from last year off the bat.
Stars have their chances, can’t score on power play
The Stars’ power play was the second-best in the league last season, scoring at a 28.6% clip.
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But Dallas didn’t score on any of its power play opportunities Friday, including three minutes of a five-minute major where the Stars were up a man.
The Stars did have their chances, though, with four high-danger scoring chances on the power play.
But when they needed a power play goal to bring them back into the game, they couldn’t find it.
Meanwhile, on the penalty kill, the Stars were a perfect 4-for-4. The unit did give up a goal early in the third period, but it was overturned after the Stars challenged, and it was deemed offside.
Hintz injury causes a scare
For a few minutes Friday, it looked like the Stars could be down two of their top-three centermen.
Roope Hintz was injured early in the third period of the season opener after a knee-to-knee hit from Brandon Carlo.
Carlo was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit.
Hintz needed to be helped off the ice and couldn’t put much weight on his left knee.
But before the end of the major penalty, Hintz returned.
It was an encouraging sight since the Stars are already playing without Duchene, who was placed on long-term injured reserve during training camp. Duchene won’t be available until Oct. 25 at the earliest.