The Dallas Stars scored late to salvage a point in a 2-1 shootout loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.

Stars lines

• Steel – Johnston – Rantanen
• Robertson – Hintz – Benn
• Hryckowian – Hyry – Seguin
• Bäck – Faksa – Blackwell

• Lindell – Heiskanen
• Harley – Lundkvist
• Bichsel – Myers  

• Oettinger
• DeSmith

Scratches: Capobianco, Kiviranta (injured), Duchene (injured)

Free Mikko

Sources say Mikko Rantanen spent the entire first period in the penalty box. Not only did he take back-to-back minors, one of which came from a baseball swing slash on the shoulder of Nick Robertson, but he also was put back in the box after coming out thinking Pittsburgh had opened the scoring on the power play.

Satire aside, when Rantanen was on the ice, he created a couple of nice opportunities. I especially liked his very basic-looking dump into the far corner before going off on a change. If he dumps it into the same side corner, Pittsburgh easily scoops it up and has time to break out of their own end. Instead, he hesitated before lobbing it to the far side, and the puck bounced perfectly into space where Roope Hintz could skate into it and create a scoring chance for Jason Robertson.

Yes, there are in fact TWO Robertsons playing in the game tonight. And they are related. Wacky, eh?

Jake Oettinger’s shutout streak came to and end with just seconds remaining in the first period. Well, at least it appeared to…

After Kris Letang was credited with a goal that Justin Hryckowian put into his own net during a netfront scramble, Dallas challenged the play. I was honestly a bit surprised, assuming they were challenging for goalie interference and not seeing much of that on the goal. Remember, if they lose the challenge, they go on the PK for delay of game.

But I was wrong.

Instead, Dallas’ amazing video coaches had identified a missed stoppage before the goal when Hendrix Lapierre knocked the puck down with a high stick off the glass on a clearing attempt. They were right on point, too, and the review was fairly quick to take the goal off the board. That’s when Rantanen went back to the box yet again.

Oettinger’s shutout streak is now sitting at 166:55, ranking fifth behind Ed Belfour (twice), Cesare Maniago, and Ben Bishop for longest in franchise history. Still two periods to climb that list, and he will jump Belfour and into fourth if he keeps the puck out through the end of the second frame.

Radek Faksa left the game after blocking a shot on the inside of his knee. He did return shortly after that, though.

Oettinger continues to climb the ranks

Oettinger went another 20 minutes without allowing a goal. That is nine straight periods of scoreless hockey for his opponents. That streak has now moved him into fourth all time, as he passed Belfour’s second-best streak and now sits at 186:55.

If Oettinger keeps the puck out for a couple more minutes to start the third, he will pass Maniago and move into third. He cannot catch Belfour (219:26) or Bishop (233:04) tonight.

While this streak is obviously important and impressive, and so are Oettinger’s ridiculous stats to start the season, the style of play in front of him is what has really stood out to me.

Dallas has not been perfect in front of its goalie. But guess what we have really not seen much of at all through 4.75 games? Those massive breakdowns that left Oettinger or Casey DeSmith on an island.

The Stars tried to clean that up last year when changing systems after firing Pete DeBoer and hiring Glen Gulutzan. DeBoer’s man-on-man system went with him, and Dallas theoretically should have allowed fewer Grade-A chances in tight. We saw quite a few of those over DeBoer’s three seasons behind the bench.

But it didn’t improve a whole lot last year. Oettinger struggled, and both goalies were left hung out to dry far too often.

Well, this year we have seen an improvement in that area, no doubt. When they have a breakdown, it’s not as dangerous a chance against as it used to be. They have layers of support, and Oettinger has mostly been able to sit back and read plays. He has done his job when looking through traffic or during scrambles in tight, but has certainly not had to work as hard as he did in years past.

Just like with everything else surrounding this team, I am very curious to find out if this is a real structural adjustment that will hang around or if it’s just early season and a lack of offensive pressure from the opponents.

We shall see.

I ain’t seen the floater pitch since Scuffy McGee!

This is a crappy way to have your shutout streak come to an end… 188:52 is the final count.

Hryckowian nearly ended the streak in the first, and this time, Bichsel got a touch of the puck on a backhand by Connor Dewar and turned it into a floater that fooled Oettinger almost as badly as Henry Rowengartner fooled Heddo for the final strike to beat the Mets and win the Division.

Let’s add another clip from that movie because… why the F not?

I think Tyler Seguin has had a tough time keeping up early in the season. However, he has plenty of excuses to AND he has mostly played in a third-line role. I would like to see him get a chance with some of the offensive guys to see how his knee and body are holding up.

Remember, he came back on the very early side of his ACL recovery window.

Seguin nearly pulled this game to even, as he jumped all over a goalie turnover and threw the puck in front of a wide-open net. Unfortunately, Sam Steel was unable to redirect it in, instead trying to gather it on his backhand. That may have been the chance.

BUT WAIT! Seguin had more in the tank. Out there 6-on-5 with the previously mentioned “offensive guys,” Seguin perfeclty deflected Robertson’s point shot against the grain to tie the game 1-1. That is Seguin’s first goal since November 15, 2025, vs. Philadelphia.

That had to feel so, so, so, so, so good for Seguin, who looked frustrated throughout the game tonight. And, to be honest, it felt dang good for all of us watching.

Good for you, Tyler.

In OT, the action was non-stop.

Roope Hintz blocked a shot that would have gone into a wide-open net after Pittsburgh made one extra pass that put Oettinger way out of position.

Thomas Harley had a few great chances, but he also completely eliminated a 3-on-1 from the defensive blue line for Pittsburgh. Although, the Pens certainly helped that with a pretty horrendous pass that did not result in any sort of shot or chance. Harley also went sliding into the end boards and came up holding his shoulder. But he seemed fine and came right back out there.

High-event 3-on-3 from Harley, per usual.

Shootout:

• Pittsburgh scored on its first two shots. Oettinger is getting pushed back deep into his net.
• Jason Robertson got everything he wanted for his patented move with Artūrs Šilovs dropping his glove, but missed high.
• Seguin scored on a perfect snapper over the pad and under the glove. His release is something else. Again, so good for Tyler.
• Pittsburgh hit the pipe, again beating Oettinger.
• Johnston beat Šilovs high glove to extend the game further.
• Oettinger again backed up deep into his crease and got beaten high.
• Rantanen was denied.

Final: Penguins 2, Stars 1 (SO)

Random thoughts from Sam’s brain

• There’s not much going on in my brain right now. Well, not much I can write about, at least.
• Oooooof, down goes #1 Texas. Love me some Red River Rivalry.
• How are Crosby, Malkin, and Letang STILL on the same team?
• Oettinger looks so calm in the blue. He is reading plays well and tracking pucks into his body.
• Speaking of Oettinger and Crosby, 29 just robbed 87 with a snazzy glove save to start the third period.

• The shutout streak came to an end on a fluky (did you know Fluky doesn’t have an “e” in it?) goal by Connor Dewar that ticked off the stick of Lian Bichsel in front. He is now 3rd in franchise history at 188:52. Bichsel had a great backdoor chance just before that goal after Rantanen somehow got a pass all the way through the box.
• Faksa has now been ruled out for the remainder of the game with a lower-body injury. He did not come out to start the third period. If Faksa misses any games and Kiviranta isn’t ready by Tuesday, Dallas will need to call up a forward or play 11/7 in their home-and-home vs Colorado.
• Dallas set a new franchise record with a 206:08 shutout streak.