Shorthanded from the opening faceoff and beaten by Colorado’s power play, the Stars couldn’t turn a bruising night into a win, falling in the first half of a home-away back-to-back against the Avalanche.
Dallas went into the game already dealing with one big absence when it was announced earlier in the day that Cale Makar would not play because his wife gave birth to twins. But the Stars had their own late change at game time: Wyatt Johnston missed his first NHL game because of illness. With Joel Kiviranta injured, Dallas inserted Kyle Capobianco at forward.
That forced more line juggling, with Justin Hryckowian moving in beside Sam Steel and Mikko Rantanen. Dallas settled in defensively early, but the offense never found much rhythm. Colorado opened the scoring on a fluttering puck from Artturi Lehkonen, while Rantanen spent much of the night targeting former teammates, including Nathan MacKinnon and Josh Manson.
The second period turned messy quickly for Dallas. The Stars started losing control of the puck and surrendering better chances, and Colorado made them pay when Martin Necas cleaned up a rebound for the lead.
Not long after, the game took an unexpected turn when Roope Hintz and MacKinnon dropped the gloves in a fight that became Hintz’s first in the NHL. MacKinnon left badly bloodied and headed to the locker room for repairs.
"What in the world is happening!? Hintz vs. Nate?"
"Roope Hintz, yes.. you read that right, just dropped the gloves with Nathan MacKinnon. MacKinnon went straight down the tunnel for repairs, as he was left very bloody. #TexasHockey"
The energy from that scrap didn’t carry over for Dallas. As soon as MacKinnon returned to the bench, the Stars were hit with their roughest stretch of the night.
Capobianco was called for cross-checking, sending Colorado to the power play, and with 26 seconds left on that advantage, Radek Faksa was whistled for tripping to create a 5-on-3. The Avalanche cashed in again, with Necas scoring to make it 3-1.
Dallas pushed in the third, but the game never fully tilted back their way. The gloves stayed on, and the Stars killed off Colorado’s final power-play chance.
Hintz cut the deficit to one just over three minutes into the period, finishing a pass from Tyler Seguin from behind the net. But Dallas went nearly the rest of the period without a shot on goal until pulling the goalie for an extra skater, and even then the comeback never materialized.
Afterward, the talk centered on Dallas not being sharp enough and trying to force chances. Head coach Glen Gulutzan said some of that came from the team not being able to get into a rhythm so far this season. Hintz was not available to speak with reporters because he was being evaluated by doctors, and Gulutzan said Johnston would not travel with the team to Colorado.
The Stars will get another shot at the Avalanche tonight at Ball Arena in Denver.
In Other News...
Stars Loss To Colorado Exposed An Early Problem They Can't Ignore
The Stars 3-2 loss to Colorado still had a few encouraging individual takeaways, even if the final result exposed an issue they need to clean up quickly. Wyatt Johnston was out because of an illness, which pushed Sam Steel into a second-line role, and he handled the added responsibility well enough to keep Dallas forward mix functional in a tougher matchup.
Tyler Seguin was another bright spot, scoring on the power play and continuing to show how much he can still drive the offense when Dallas needs a lift. But the bigger concern was discipline, and one costly penalty undercut the kind of effort that might otherwise have earned the Stars something more from a game they were in right to the end. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Catch A Break In Dallas But Face A Bigger Concern
Wyatt Johnstons absence before puck drop gave Dallas a rare lineup wrinkle, and it came with immediate ripple effects. The Stars had to shuffle their forward group, moving Sam Steel to center and even turning to defenseman Kyle Capobianco in a forward role as they worked around the missing piece in the middle of the ice.
For Johnston, the bigger note is not just the disruption to Dallas plans but the end of a remarkable run that had held since his debut in October 2022. With other injuries and absences also affecting the broader matchup, the Stars are left balancing short-term lineup changes against the kind of availability questions that can change the look of a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Roope Hintz Sent A Message Stars Fans Wont Ignore
Roope Hintz brought a little extra edge to a familiar Central Division matchup Tuesday night, and it came in a way Stars fans do not often see from one of the teams quietest stars. The Dallas forward got involved in a second-period scrap with Nathan MacKinnon, adding a new layer to a rivalry that already had some history between the two players. For a Stars team that leans on Hintz for skill and composure, the moment stood out as much for its timing as for the message it sent.
Hintz followed it up with a goal in the third period, turning a chippy game into one that felt even more personal. Colorado had its own response, and the sequence only sharpened the stakes in a matchup between two contenders that rarely need extra fuel to get going. Between the fight, the scoring, and the reaction from both benches, this was the kind of night that reminded everyone these games can carry more than just points in the standings. [Read more 🡒]