Vegas Golden Knights get by the Dallas Stars 4-3 with special teams

I think the Stars having more days off than the Golden Knights bit them in the butt tonight. You could tell after the opening puck drop that the Golden Knights were firing on all cylinders after the opening puck drop. The Golden Knights were able to capitalize on a couple of power plays, and it was the difference in the 4-3 loss for the Stars last night. We also have to discuss some more stuff in the following paragraphs before getting to the takeaways of the game.

Before everyone hits the Defcon 1 button, the Stars can still turn this around and win the series. If you remember the playoffs last season, the Stars lost game one for their first two series and ended up winning. It's not time to hit the reset button and try something new. I can see the Stars rebounding and still win the series in six games. They would have been going to OT if Ryan Suter's goal counted in the first period (insert side-eye emoji).

The one player whom I will mention in the takeaways below is Logan Stankoven. His steal against Stone and the assist to Jason Robertson are something to look forward to regardless of whether the Stars advance in the playoffs or get eliminated. That is the type of effort you want from players in the playoffs. I hope Pete DeBoer points that out reviewing the film tomorrow. That kind of effort might be the only reason the Stars get out of the first round against the Golden Knights.

Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights: 3. Third period shutdown

The Golden Knights shut down the Stars' offense in the third period. That's the type of defense the Stars need if they want to advance to the second round of the playoffs. The only goal that the Stars scored was a wrist shot from Mason Marchment that went past Logan Thompson's glove. The Stars must attack them early in game two to avoid having to pull off a comeback in the third period.

Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights: 2. Got to figure out how to win the battle along the boards

The other thing that the Stars need to work on for game two on Wednesday is winning the battle along the boards. That's how the Golden Knights stopped Roope Hintz and the Stars from setting up in their zone. The Stars must win those battles to get grade-A scoring chances in the Golden Knights zone. That's another thing the Stars must work on in practice or expect an early exit from the playoffs.

Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights: 1. Stankoven's effort

The one player I couldn't take my eye off tonight was Stankoven. Logan's effort on every shift is what hockey coaches look for during the playoffs. That puck he stole from Stone in the first period looked like a veteran move. I'm also surprised that he didn't get a couple of goals tonight by poking the puck past Thompson. I know the Stars can't start negotiating his next contract yet, but I think he can start looking for a house in Dallas during the offseason.

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