Game Recap: In Game 1 of this Western Conference First Round Match-up between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars the first half of the first period would end up being a feel out process for both teams. A strong showing would be shown during the contest however there would be a hard but clean hit by Nashville’s Brian Boyle to Dallas’ Jason Dickinson. With that hit, Dickinson would have to go into the concussion protocol. The rest of the first period would be a tough battle with both teams fighting strong for possession of the puck. Roman Josi would score at the 12:12 mark in the period to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.
In the second period, it would be a hard hitting period with good hits being thrown by both squads. Midway through the period, Dickinson would return to the ice after the Boyle hit earlier in the contest. Nashville would also spend a lot of this period trying to get shots off but were unsuccessful in making any of that happen. Rinne would have a brilliant save to prevent the Stars from making it a 2-1 lead, with less than five minutes left in the period with Nick Bonino clearing the puck. Look for both teams going into the third period to finish off strong as this has been a big defensive battle, despite the penalties that were taken in this period.
When Miro Heiskanen scored for Dallas to make it a tie game, he would become the youngest defenceman in franchise history to register a postseason goal.
Miro Heiskanen (19 years, 266 days) is the youngest defenseman in @DallasStars / North Stars franchise history to score a postseason goal. #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/YAxicxORi3
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 11, 2019
In the third period, it would be a slow start before Heiskanen would score his second goal in the game at the 6:10 mark to give the Stars their first lead in the game, leading 2-1. A few minutes later, Mats Zuccarello would score his first postseason goal as a member of the Stars organization at the 10:39 mark. Predators defenceman P.K. Subban would bring the game to within a goal with his goal at the 13:24 mark and then Mattias Janmark would get called for a holding penalty at the 15:08 mark to give Nashville a much needed chance to score on a critical power play. Nashville would pull Rinne with five seconds left in the power play, but after several great chances to tie the game at 3 a piece, Nashville would fall to Dallas.
The Dallas Stars would escape with the win, winning 3-2, and would take the home-ice advantage away from Nashville. Nashville will look to even out the series on Saturday. Game 2 will take place at 6 p.m., ET and I will have your full coverage of the contest.
First Period:
Dallas Penalty: Mattias Janmark for Slashing — 2 min minor — 8:51
Nashville Goal: Roman Josi (1) assisted by Ryan Ellis (1) and Nick Bonino (1) — 12:12
Nashville Penalty: Brian Boyle for Hooking — 2 min minor — 14:13
End of 1st – DAL – 0 NSH – 1
Shots 09 12
Faceoffs 07 10
Hits 06 14
PP 0/1 0/1
Second Period:
Nashville Penalty: Colton Sissons for Goaltender Interference — 2 min minor — 3:18
Dallas Penalty: Ben Bishop for Embellishment (served by Mats Zuccarello) — 2 min minor — 3:18
Dallas Penalty: John Klingberg for Roughing — 2 min minor — 8:08
Nashville Penalty: Colton Sissons for Holding — 2 min minor — 11:10
Dallas PPG: Miro Heiskanen (1) unassisted — 12:37
First NHL playoff game, first NHL playoff goal. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/NnpcCwip4l
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 11, 2019
Dallas Penalty: Roman Polak for Tripping — 2 min minor — 15:30
Nashville Penalty: Kyle Turris for Interference — 2 min minor — 17:16
End of 2nd – DAL – 1 NSH – 1
Shots 19 17
Faceoffs 13 20
Hits 11 19
PP 1/3 0/3
Third Period:
Dallas Goal: Miro Heiskanen (2) assisted by John Klingberg (1) — 6:10
That shot 😍
We'll be appreciating it for years to come. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/qJs9pnOocU
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 11, 2019
Dallas Goal: Mats Zuccarello (1) assisted by Ben Lovejoy (1) and Jamie Benn (1) — 10:39
Lightning quick reaction from @zuccarello36 here. #GoStars pic.twitter.com/WU0n8pROZP
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 11, 2019
Nashville Goal: P.K. Subban (1) assisted by Brian Boyle (1) and Mattias Ekholm (1) — 13:24
Dallas Penalty: Mattias Janmark for Holding — 2 min minor — 15:08
End of 3rd – DAL – 3 NSH – 2
Shots 29 32
Faceoffs 00 00
Hits 14 00
PP 1/3 0/4
Nashville Predators Lines and Defensive Pairings:
Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson
Mikael Granlund-Kyle Turris-Craig Smith
Colton Sissons-Nick Bonino-Austin Watson
Brian Boyle-Calle Jarnkrok-Wayne Simmonds
Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm-P.K. Subban
Dan Hamhuis-Dante Fabbro
Pekka Rinne
Juusa Saros
Injured: Rocco Grimaldi (upper body)
Scratched: Matt Irwin, Yannick Weber, Rem Pitlick, Zac Rinaldo, Miikka Salomaki, Cody McLeod, Frederick Gaudreau, Niclas Westerholm
Forsberg-Johansen-Arvidsson
Granlund-Turris-Smith
Sissons-Bonino-Watson
Boyle-Jarnkrok-Simmonds
Josi-Ellis
Ekholm-Subban
Hamhuis-Fabbro
Rinne— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) April 11, 2019
Dallas Stars Lines and Defensive Pairings:
Jason Dickinson-Tyler Seguin-Alexander Radulov
Jamie Benn-Roope Hintz-Mats Zuccarello
Andrew Cogliano-Radek Faksa-Blake Comeau
Mattias Janmark-Justin Dowling-Tyler Pitlick
Esa Lindell-John Klingberg
Miro Heiskanen-Roman Polak
Taylor Fedun-Ben Lovejoy
Ben Bishop
Anton Khudobin
Injuries: Stephen Johns (upper body), Marc Methot (lower body), Martin Hanzal (back), Brett Ritchie (hand)
Scratched: Julius Honka, Jason Spezza, Jamie Oleksiak, Valeri Nichushkin
Stars in rushes:
Dickinson-Seguin-Radulov
Benn-Hintz-Zuccarello
Cogliano-Faksa-Comeau
Janmark-Dowling-PitlickLindell-Klingberg
Heiskanen-Polak
Fedun-Lovejoy— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) April 11, 2019
