LAS VEGAS -- Another Game 1, another disappointing start, another overtime, another loss.
The Dallas Stars have been in rinse-repeat mode in Game 1 of each of their Stanley Cup Playoff rounds, including the opener of the Western Conference Final, when they lost 4-3 in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.
"They were more ready to play than we were. Probably could've anticipated it," Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. "They had a shorter series, starting at home. We're coming off a Game 7 (against the Seattle Kraken in the second round), so I knew the first 10 minutes would probably be a little unknown with what we were going to get.
"They were better than us. I thought we battled back in the game. Again, they were better in more areas than us most of the night, so probably the right result and we've got to up our level."
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is here Sunday (3 p.m. ET; ESPN+ ABC, CBC, TVAS, SN).
The one thing that's changed for Dallas in series openers this postseason is the length of overtime. In Game 1 of the first round against the Minnesota Wild, the Stars lost in double overtime. In Game 1 against the Kraken, they lost 12:17 into the first one.
On Friday, Golden Knights forward Brett Howden got the winner at 1:35.
Otherwise, it was a familiar scene. The Stars got off to a sluggish start. They were outshot 17-13 in the first period, but most of their shots were held to the outside and they didn't get much traffic around Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill.
On the other end, the chances Vegas created were high quality.
"Good forechecking team over there, good rush team. I think we just need to handle that a little bit better," defenseman Colin Miller said. "A couple of odd-man rushes against, so make some changes and be better next game."
One of the times they did get close to Hill, they capitalized. Jason Robertson redirected a pass from Roope Hintz, giving the Stars a 1-0 lead at 18:44 of the first and ending Robertson's goal drought at eight games.
It was also his first even-strength goal of the playoffs. Robertson has two power-play goals, the last coming in Game 5 of the first round against the Wild.
"Yeah, relief," Robertson said. "I mean, I knew eventually something was going to happen. I play on too good of a line not to get opportunities, for the puck to finally go in. I'm sure it's a good relief for my line mates (Hintz and Joe Pavelski), me, everyone. I just want to look to build off that."
If not for Jake Oettinger, however, the Stars would've likely finished the first period trailing, as they did in Game 1 against the Wild (1-0) and Kraken (4-2). Oettinger made 33 saves, including all 17 shots in the first.
"Well, we know he's always dialed in. That's the type of player he is, one of the best goalies in the NHL, if not the best goalie in the NHL right now," Robertson said. "I don't want to say surprised, because we know how good he is, how mentally sharp he is and it's unfortunate we wasted a performance like that from him. We have to tighten up a little bit in front of him."
The Stars can take positives out of Game 1. They got better as it progressed and brought their best in the third period, when Hintz scored his 10th goal of the playoffs to tie the game 2-2 at 4:01, and Jamie Benn, on as the extra attacker with Oettinger pulled, scored to tie it 3-3 with 1:59 remaining.
"[We were] holding onto more pucks in their own end and just playing our system a bit more," forward Tyler Seguin said. "I think they dictated how they wanted to play pretty early on, and we just didn't respond quick enough."
There's one more positive they can take: They came back to win the previous two series despite the tough start to each one. Still, they'd rather be up one, not looking at another Game 1 overtime loss.
"The good news is, the other two ended the right way, so that's what we'll hope for," DeBoer said. "But you have to win some overtime games too in the playoffs. You can't go 0-for-3, 0-for-4 in the playoffs in overtime. So, that's something we've got to get fixed quickly."
