Mason Marchment scored twice to highlight Dallas’ four-goal second period, fueling the visiting Stars to a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday in the season opener for both teams.
Roope Hintz scored a goal and set up linemate Jason Robertson’s tally 19 seconds later early in the second period. Logan Stankoven notched three assists and Jake Oettinger made 33 saves for the Stars.
Nashville’s Filip Forsberg scored a power-play goal in the second period to become the first player to record a point in nine straight season-opening games since Vancouver Canucks forwards Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin did so from 2008-09 to 2016-17).
Forsberg set up Tommy Novak’s goal on a breakaway at 4:37 of the third period, and Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly tallied with 1:35 remaining in the game. Jonathan Marchessault had two assists and fellow offseason addition Steven Stamkos registered three shots on goal for the Predators.
Scott Wedgewood turned aside 16 shots in his first start against his former team since signing a two-year, $3 million contract with Nashville in the offseason. Wedgewood received the start in place of Juuse Saros, who sustained a lower-body injury in a preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
Dallas tallied twice to open the scoring early in the second period.
Stankhoven was unable to corral a lead pass before settling the puck in the left corner. He then skated out from behind the net and backhanded a feed to the left circle that was wired under the crossbar by Hintz at 2:05.
Hintz was thwarted on a breakaway bid before dropping the puck for Robertson, who made no mistake from just above the left circle at 2:24.
Forsberg converted a touch-pass from Marchessault by one-timing a shot from the slot past Oettinger at 3:30 of the second period to halve the Predators’ deficit.
Dallas regained its two-goal advantage just over 4 1/2 minutes later after Marchment sailed a shot under the crossbar off a nifty centering feed from former Predators forward Matt Duchene.
Marchment’s sharp wrist shot from the left faceoff dot handcuffed Wedgewood to stake the Stars to a 4-1 lead with 1:45 remaining in the second period.
–Field Level Media