WINNIPEG -- The Dallas Stars will look to reverse their Game 1 fortunes when they open the Western Conference Second Round against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN).
The Stars have lost eight consecutive Game 1s in best-of-7 series, a frustrating stat they would like to commit to history. Dallas has not won the opener of such a series since defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, which it lost in six games.
“Well, we’re going on the road, which is a good one because the last three or four have been all at home, so hopefully that changes it,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said when asked about any change to their approach as this series begins. "Other than that, not really. There’s only so much you can do. I like our preparation.
"The way we prepare for a Game 7 is the same way we prepare for a Game 1, so there’s no magic in that. We just have to show up and have a big performance from key guys. That’s always the key, your key players have to be engaged quickly here in Game 1.”
Bucking the trend won’t be easy against the Jets, who won all four of their home games during the first round, when they defeated the St. Louis Blues in seven games.
Much like Dallas, here after a thrilling 4-2 come-from-behind win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the first round Saturday, Winnipeg is riding high after a 4-3 double-overtime win against St. Louis on Sunday, when it scored two goals in the final 1:56 of regulation to force overtime.
“I think we can ride the momentum from the last series win, but at the same time, reset and get ready for a new challenge with Dallas,” Jets defenseman Neal Pionk said. “They're a heck of a team. Really well structured, really tight checking, and obviously they have a lot of skill too. So, that's what we're prepared for this series.”
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series have an all-time record of 531-249 (.681), including 6-2 during the first round.
Here is a breakdown of Game 1:
Stars: Jason Robertson could return, which would be a big boost for a team that already has plenty of offensive production. The forward, who missed all of the first round with a lower-body injury, led Dallas with 35 goals during the regular season. He had 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 19 postseason games last year and 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 19 playoff games in 2023. The Stars did not hold a full morning skate, but Robertson was on their third line, with left wing Mason Marchment and center Wyatt Johnston, during practice in Dallas on Tuesday.
Jets: Mark Scheifele is a game-time decision, according to coach Scott Arniel. But during the morning skate, the center was in his usual spot on the top line and working with the first power-play unit. Scheifele, who missed the final two games of the first round with an undisclosed injury sustained in the first period of Game 5 against the Blues, has six points (two goals, four assists) in five games this postseason. If Scheifele does return, forward Cole Perfetti, who has three goals in the past two games -- two on the power play -- would move to the second unit.
Number to know: 3. Number of series in the past 10 years to feature United States-born starting goalies (minimum two games started in the series), as the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck and Stars’ Jake Oettinger square off. The two were teammates at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. The previous time two U.S.-born goalies faced each other was the 2024 Eastern Conference First Round between Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins and Joseph Woll of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The other instance was the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round between Ben Bishop of the Lightning and Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings.
What to look for: Will the Stars change their Game 1 fortunes, or will the Jets continue their hold on home ice?
