Dallas, TX
Five thoughts from Stars’ Game 1 loss to Vegas: Dallas gets chances, can’t capitalize
The Vegas Golden Knights took an early lead in the first-round series against the Dallas Stars Monday night with a 4-3 win in Game 1.
The Golden Knights scored the game’s first goal just 1:23 into the contest and never looked back.
The Stars will now have to steal a game at T-Mobile Arena to advance to the second round.
Here are five thoughts from Game 1 of the Stars-Golden Knights series.
Knights out: Photos from Dallas Stars’ Game 1 loss to Vegas
Early-game struggles bleed into playoffs
The Stars set a franchise record this season when they notched 26 comeback wins in the regular season. Half of their total wins came after falling into an early hole.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said late in the regular season that while the record said his team is resilient, it also alerts him that it has a habit of sacrificing the first goal, which cannot carry into the playoffs.
In Game 1 against Vegas, it did. On the game’s first shift, Sam Steel was called for high sticking, and Mark Stone gave Vegas a 1-0 lead just 1:23 into the game on the power play.
“You can’t chase the game the whole series,” DeBoer said. “I thought we were chasing the game all night. We’ve got to make sure we fix that going forward.”
While Dallas didn’t collapse after sacrificing the early lead, Vegas didn’t let up either. Seven minutes later, Jonathan Marchessault made it 2-0. The Stars continued to find scoring chances but were never able to recover from that deficit.
Dallas has been able to afford first-period struggles because it’s been so dominant in the second period, scoring 106 goals in the frame for third best in the NHL. It didn’t get that same boost in the second, as Vegas extended its lead just 1:06 into the frame, and Dallas did not score.
Vegas dominates on special teams
The Stars’ first playoff outing was disastrous on special teams. Vegas scored on both of its power plays while the Stars went 0-for-2.
Vegas had the 20th-best power play in the league at 20.2% in the regular season while the Stars ranked sixth at 24.2%. The Stars’ penalty kill ranked eighth (82%) while Vegas’ ranked 16th (79.3%).
The Stars had no excuse for struggling on special teams the way they did. After Steel committed the early penalty, it took Vegas less than a minute to get on the board. Late in the second period, trade deadline acquisition Tomas Hertl restored Vegas’ two-goal lead with another power-play score.
For as strong as Dallas has been on special teams, it must capitalize on that advantage in future games. It also needs to avoid taking penalties, especially on the first shift of the game. If it weren’t for Vegas’ two special-teams goals, the game could have been very different.
Jake Oettinger was not at his best
Not all four goals were Jake Oettinger’s fault. The first was deflected. The second and third were on shots from point-blank range.
But given how well the Stars’ netminder has played over the last month, his first playoff outing wasn’t what he would’ve hoped for.
“I think we’ve got to do a better job tying up sticks around the net,” DeBoer said. “I think we can help him. But I think, like everybody, he’s got another level for us, too.”
Oettinger had a 10-1-0 record in the last 11 games of the regular season with a .941 save percentage and 1.54 goals-against average.
On Monday, he faced just 15 shots all night. Dallas controlled the puck possession, but when Vegas had its opportunities, it capitalized.
He also let in a goal on a prayer of a shot from the boards by Brayden McNabb that may have deflected off a player but also looked like he lost sight of the puck.
Across the ice was Logan Thompson for Vegas, and while he’s had a standout year, he was making his playoff debut Monday. He allowed three goals on 30 shots.
Oettinger said Sunday that he will have bad games in the playoffs and has to be prepared to bounce back. Dallas just didn’t expect that in Game 1 and will need him to do so quickly before Wednesday night rolls around.
“Not the ideal start, but everyone’s going to look at their own game and try to be better next game, and that starts with me,” he said.
The Stars goalie did have a rare assist on Mason Marchment’s third-period goal, the first of the season and fifth of his career.
Momentum swings and capitalizing on opportunities to be key in series
The playoffs are about capitalizing on opportunities when they’re in front of you. Vegas was opportunistic in Game 1, and the Stars weren’t.
A handful of plays led to major momentum shifts in the game.
Steel’s penalty set the tone. Ryan Suter answered for Dallas on a shot from the point midway through the period, but due to Marchment being offside, it was taken off the board after a Vegas challenge.
Just seconds later, Marchessault scored, making it 2-0 in the first and handing all the momentum to the Golden Knights.
The Stars generated significantly more scoring chances than Vegas did, outshooting the Golden Knights 30-15. Dallas had 10 high-danger scoring changes to just six by Vegas.
But when Dallas could’ve tied it up, especially late in the third period, it was unable to. Vegas did just enough to walk away with the series lead.
“I thought we could have won the game tonight, but we didn’t play well enough to make sure we won the game tonight,” DeBoer said.
Mark Stone’s return could be a bigger problem than Dallas anticipated
One of the top storylines entering the series was whether Vegas’ captain Mark Stone would return from long-term injured reserve for the start of the playoffs.
For the second year in a row, Stone returned just in time for the playoffs, this time from a lacerated spleen. Many questioned the convenient timing of his return as soon as the league no longer has a salary cap. The American Airlines Center crowd let him hear it, booing Stone every time he touched the puck Monday.
But the captain’s impacts were felt instantly, as he scored the first goal of the series on the power play. He was on a new line with Hertl, whom he had never played before, but the two jelled, as both scored in the contest.
The Stars said they weren’t concerned about the return of Stone, William Carrier, Alex Pietrangelo or any of Vegas’ lineup changes ahead of the series. But their return clearly injected some energy into Vegas’ start to the series that Dallas will have to better handle in Game 2.
Twitter: @lassimak
Dallas, TX
Public frustration grows as Dallas leaders debate billion‑dollar City Hall fix or relocation
Cardi B, one of hip-hop’s most outsize personalities — and one of its most reliable hitmakers — is coming to Dallas.
The New York City-born rapper broke through in 2017 with the hit single “Bodak Yellow,” launching a chart-topping run that soon included “I Like It” and the blockbuster hit “WAP.” Her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion of Privacy, cemented her as a defining voice in contemporary rap, blending brash humor, confessional storytelling and club-ready production.
The 33-year-old’s success helped boost the profile of women in a genre long dominated by men, encouraging record labels to sign more female rappers. She has frequently teamed up with rising female artists, including GloRilla, FendiDa Rappa and “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion.
Cardi’s stop at American Airlines Center is part of the arena run supporting her second studio album, 2025’s Am I the Drama? Recent shows in the “Little Miss Drama Tour” have leaned into spectacle, with elaborate staging, surprise guest appearances and a set list that spans her entire career.
Fans can expect a high-energy performance built around booming trap beats, pop hooks and Cardi’s signature unfiltered banter — the same mix that has helped her sell out dates across the tour and turn concerts into party-like events.
DETAILS: March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets start at $334.10, but some verified resale tickets are cheaper. ticketmaster.com.
Pop legend Diana Ross performs March 7 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
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OTHER CONCERTS
Bluesy psychedelic rock band All Them Witches performs March 7 at House of Blues Dallas.
Travis Pinson
ALL THEM WITCHES March 7 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
DIANA ROSS March 7 at 8 p.m. at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. winstar.com.
RICH BRIAN March 7 at 8 p.m. at The Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum. axs.com.
TRACE ADKINS March 7 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
AFROJACK March 8 at 3 p.m. at It’ll Do Club in Deep Ellum. eventbrite.com.
LITHE March 8 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.
CONAN GRAY March 10 at 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
MATISYAHU March 10 at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater in Dallas. prekindle.com.
OUR LADY PEACE, WITH THE VERVE PIPE March 12 at 8 p.m. at Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.
PAUL WALL March 12 at 9 p.m. and March 13 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.
The fiercest legislative primary fights Tuesday in North Texas were inside the GOP.
In Dallas County, two moderate GOP incumbent representatives faced challengers after being censured by their own county party.
In Collin County, several Republican state House members were fending off rivals running to their right.
The Dallas Morning News will provide live election results this evening when the polls close at 7 p.m. Results will be updated throughout the evening for statewide races and Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant counties.
Dallas County, House District 108
Republican Morgan Meyer, first elected in 2014, was challenged by attorney Sanjay Narayan in a district that includes the Park Cities, Oak Lawn and Preston Hollow.
Narayan criticized Meyer for backing renewable energy expansion and for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year.
Meyer was among House Republicans targeted after disputes over the House speaker vote and chamber rules. He and other lawmakers called the censure effort unconstitutional.
In the campaign, Meyer focused on property tax relief and emergency preparedness after the Camp Mystic tragedy.
Small business owner Allison Mitchell is unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Dallas County, House District 112
Republican Angie Chen Button, who has represented the district covering parts of Dallas, Richardson and Garland since 2009, drew three primary opponents.
Button has highlighted her support for small businesses and public schools and her bipartisan record. A senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, she would play a key role in the state’s property tax debate if reelected.
Dallas-area delegation in the Texas House of Representatives on Sunday, May 30, 2021, showing State Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, in the chamber.
Bob Daemmrich / Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto
Opponents Chad Carnahan and Tina Price attacked Button for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year, a move she and other lawmakers have criticized as an internal party power struggle.
Carnahan, a businessman, said he wants to lower property taxes and prevent Shariah in Texas.
Price said she would improve public schools and spur the re-use of old buildings. Also in the GOP race: Perry E. Barker Sr.
Democrat Zach Herbert was unopposed.
Collin County, House District 61
Two Republicans are seeking to represent the district that covers most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina.
Incumbent Keresa Richardson, who was elected in 2024, and former state Rep. Frederick Frazier both support eliminating property taxes.
Richardson, an entrepreneur, said she would expand the Texas voucher-like program for education.
Frazier, a former police officer and McKinney City Council member, was more cautious about expanding the program.
Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary election at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
Two political newcomers, Jackie Bescherer and Brittany Black, are running in the Democratic primary. Both oppose Texas’ voucher program and vow to increase public education funding.
Collin County, House District 67
Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, first elected in 2012, faces Matt Thorsen in a district that includes parts of Plano, Allen, McKinney and Melissa.
Leach has highlighted his conservative record, including legislation barring Shariah in Texas courts. He also served as a House impeachment manager during Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2023 trial, a role he has defended amid backlash from activists.
Thorsen, a small business owner and former youth pastor, helped lead the effort to censure Leach last year. He has criticized Leach’s impeachment role and accused him of siding with Democrats on House rules.
Both support eliminating property taxes, expanding education savings accounts and oppose the development formerly known as EPIC City. Two Democrats are also running, though the district has leaned Republican.
Collin County, House District 70
Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to run against incumbent Democrat Mihaela Plesa, who is running unopposed in her party’s primary.
Democrat Mihaela Plesa responds to questions during a District 70 Candidate Forum hosted by Raise Your Hand Texas at Plano ISD Academy High School in Plano on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.
Liesbeth Powers / Staff Photographer
George Flint, a former district judge and Collin County Republican Party Chair, emphasized eliminating property taxes and securing the border in his campaign.
Jack Ryan Gallagher, an attorney, said he would attract companies to North Texas, improve public schools and partner with local law enforcement if elected.
Michael Hewitt, an attorney, said he would gradually lower property taxes and work to keep Texas a business-friendly state.
The district includes parts of Plano, Richardson and Far North Dallas.
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