FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Stars are 2-2-1 through five games of the NHL’s first 84-game regular season since 1993-94. Seven of their remaining nine October games are at American Airlines Center, starting with the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
When Dallas released its schedule July 16, October carried nine home dates, more than any other month. Tuesday’s game opens a home-and-home that ends Wednesday in Denver. Colorado won the Central Division last season by finishing ahead of Dallas, which went 50-20-12 and then lost to the Minnesota Wild in six games in the first round. After a stop at the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 17, the Stars come home for six straight games from Oct. 20-31 against the Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Five games in, Dallas has scored one goal or fewer three times. The Stars opened with a 4-0 home loss to the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 2, going 0-for-4 on the power play a season after leading the league in power-play goals.
“In a way, it almost felt like preseason,” Stars forward Tyler Seguin said.
Dallas lost 2-1 the next night at the Nashville Predators. Jake Oettinger then made 13 saves in a 5-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 5 and 26 more in a 4-0 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 8.
On Saturday at the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oettinger’s shutout streak ended at 188:52 when a backhand 1:57 into the third period deflected in off a Dallas stick. As a team, Dallas had gone 206:08 without allowing a goal, the longest stretch in franchise history. Oettinger’s individual run ranks third among Stars goaltenders.
Pittsburgh thought it had scored with 26 seconds left in the first period, when Justin Hryckowian tapped a loose puck into his own net, but a Dallas challenge took the goal off the board because a Penguins player had touched the puck with a high stick earlier in the play.
With 30 seconds left in regulation, Seguin tipped a shot from Jason Robertson in to tie the game 1-1. It was Seguin’s first goal since Nov. 15, 2025. He tore the ACL in his right knee on Dec. 2, 2025. The Penguins won Saturday’s game 2-1 in a shootout.
The tying goal was also Seguin’s first point in five games this season. He was the only Dallas skater to score in regulation.
“It felt great,” Seguin explained. “Every day, just trying to get better. Every game, I feel a little more comfortable, feel a little better. Compete a little more. Nice to get one.”
Pittsburgh stopped 24 of 25 Dallas shots. Oettinger had not allowed a goal in eight straight periods before the third in Pittsburgh.
“(Oettinger) gave us a chance,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “You’ve got to score a goal to help him out. I don’t know. Eight shutout periods? You can’t ask for more than that. We had to be better in front of him today on the offensive side of things.”
Robertson and Wyatt Johnston each scored 45 goals last season. Robertson added 51 assists for 96 points, while Johnston had 41 assists and 86 points. Johnston’s 27 power-play goals led the NHL. Mikko Rantanen had 22 goals, 55 assists, and 77 points in 64 games.
Matt Duchene has not played this season. Dallas placed him on long-term injured reserve Oct. 1 with a lower-body injury he had been dealing with since the start of training camp, which keeps him out until at least Oct. 25 against the Islanders. He had 16 goals, 29 assists, and 45 points in 57 games last season.
“He’s back kind of in a little bit of a maintenance program here,” Gulutzan explained Sept. 30. “We’re just monitoring now to see where he’s going to be at. A little bit of a setback on the road.”
Dallas plays 41 games at American Airlines Center, one at AT&T Stadium, and 42 on the road. The team’s schedule release breaks the split down by month.
| Month | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|
| October | 9 | 5 |
| November | 7 | 5 |
| December | 5 | 8 |
| January | 6 | 10 |
| February | 7 | 3 |
| March | 5 | 8 |
| April | 3 | 3 |
Eighteen of the 29 games in December and January are on the road.
Dallas Stars Play 10 January Road Games And 13 Back-To-Back Sets
Ten of Dallas’ 16 January games are on the road. The longest trip of the season starts Jan. 14 in Boston and goes through the Islanders, the New York Rangers, and New Jersey before ending Jan. 20 in Chicago, with back-to-backs on Jan. 14-15 and Jan. 19-20.
Earlier in the month, Dallas plays at San Jose on Jan. 6, the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 8, and the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 9. January ends Jan. 30 at Minnesota.
The Stars have 13 back-to-back sets on the schedule, covering 26 of their 84 games. The first came on opening weekend, when Casey DeSmith started the second night in Nashville. This week’s Colorado series is the second. In December, Dallas plays two straight nights at Winnipeg on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. The Edmonton Oilers visit Feb. 27, the night before the Stars play at St. Louis. The regular season ends with the Utah Mammoth at home April 9 and Nashville on the road April 10.
DeSmith signed a two-year, $5 million contract extension in late September. He allowed two goals on 26 shots in the Nashville loss. Hryckowian put both goaltenders in the same category after Saturday’s game.
“He’s as dialed (in) as they come,” Hryckowian said of Oettinger. “He takes care of himself away from the rink as well. He’s a pro’s pro. … When your goalies are dialed in like Jake and Casey (DeSmith), and obviously great guys as well, I think it’s just an added incentive that you want to get in front of those pucks for them.”
Dallas Stars Face Vegas Golden Knights In Stadium Series At AT&T Stadium
Dallas plays the Vegas Golden Knights outdoors at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, Feb. 20, in the 2027 NHL Stadium Series. Puck drop is 7 p.m. CT on ABC. Vegas reached the Stanley Cup Final last season and lost to the Carolina Hurricanes.
It will be the second outdoor game in Stars history. Dallas beat Nashville 4-2 in the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl. The Stars also visit Vegas twice in November, on Nov. 17 and Nov. 19.
Seven of Dallas’ 10 February games are at home, and the schedule breaks from Feb. 5-7 while the league holds All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. Two nights before the outdoor game, the Philadelphia Flyers visit American Airlines Center on Feb. 18.
Sports betting is still illegal in Texas, and lawmakers left the 2025 session without advancing a constitutional amendment on it. According to OnlineSportsBetting.net, the Texas Legislature meets in regular session only in odd-numbered years, so the session that opens in January is the next chance for lawmakers to take up Texas sports betting, with the Stadium Series falling in the middle of it.
Colorado visits American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m. CT Tuesday on ESPN. The teams meet again Wednesday at Ball Arena in Denver, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. CT on TNT.
