Stars 4, Sabres 0: Oettinger posts a second straight shutout in Buffalo
Rantanen's four-point night and a first power-play goal of the season carried Dallas past a Sabres team that again fell behind early.
Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped all 26 shots he faced on Thursday night as the Stars beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 at KeyBank Center, giving him back-to-back shutouts to open the season, according to NHL.com.
Rantanen at the centre
Mikko Rantanen finished with a goal and three assists. NHL.com reports it was the 26th four-point game of his career, tying him with Artemi Panarin for fifth most since Rantanen's 2015-16 debut. Wyatt Johnston added three assists.
Jason Robertson opened the scoring at 9:03 of the first period, finishing a 2-on-1 with Rantanen by snapping a low shot over the blocker. Sam Steel made it 2-0 at 9:36 of the second, firing from high in the slot through traffic and between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen's pads.
Rantanen then scored into an empty net with Luukkonen pulled to the other side after a Lundkvist shot from the left point bounced off the end boards to him, and Roope Hintz capped the scoring at 15:34 with a power-play goal, taking a pass from Johnston in the right circle and shooting into the far top corner. It was Hintz's first goal of the season and Dallas's first power-play goal of the year, after the Stars had started 0-for-9 with the man advantage, NHL.com notes.
Oettinger's run
Oettinger's previous shutout came Monday, a 5-0 win over San Jose in which he made 13 saves. NHL.com says it is the second time in his career he has recorded consecutive shutouts, and his current shutout streak stands at 146:55, the second longest of his career behind a 154:20 run in March and April 2024.
"We had our legs again, I think that's the key," Rantanen said, per NHL.com.
A familiar start for Buffalo
For the Sabres, Luukkonen made 14 saves on 18 shots. The bigger concern for the home side is how games have begun: NHL.com reports Buffalo has allowed the first goal and trailed by multiple goals in each of its last three games, and is 0-for-13 on the power play this season.
"Our starts have to be better," coach Lindy Ruff said, according to NHL.com. Luukkonen said a team can't win by letting in four goals and that he needs to be better.
Both teams sit at 2-2-0. Dallas has won two straight; Buffalo will look to find an early lead in its next outing.
What it means
One game does not settle a season, but the pattern is worth watching on both sides. Dallas has now stacked two shutouts, got its power play off the mark, and has its top line producing. Buffalo has a recurring problem: playing from behind and not scoring on the power play.