By Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press on October 19, 2024.
DALLAS (AP) – Matt Duchene scored the first two goals, Jake Oettinger won his first start since signing a big contract extension, and the Dallas Stars beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 on Saturday in their first meeting since last season’s Western Conference final. Roope Hintz also scored and Jason Robertson added an empty-netter as the Stars improved to 4-0 at home this season by beating the team that eliminated them in six games in the West final. Oettinger stopped 30 shots in his first appearance since signing a $66 million, eight-year extension that could keep the 25-year-old with the team that drafted him until the 2032-33 season. Duchene scored a power-play goal late in the second period and made it 2-0 with his third of the season 12:06 into the third. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl ended Oettinger’s shutout bid with less than three minutes remaining. TAKEAWAYS Oilers: Stuart Skinner wasn’t tested much early after stopping 72 of 76 Dallas shots as the Oilers won the last three games in the West final last season. The Stars had just 11 shots through two periods. Stars: Dallas was 1-of-17 on the power play this season when Duchene scored off the faceoff that started the first chance against Edmonton late in the second. KEY MOMENT Oettinger stopped Zach Hyman on a point-blank shot early in the third, which started a flurry of activity in front of and behind the Dallas net in the first eight minutes of the final frame with Dallas holding a one-goal lead. KEY STAT Hintz had a three-point game, assisting on Duchene’s first goal and getting the secondary assist on Robertson’s empty-netter. UP NEXT Oilers: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Stars: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. — AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl 18