Stars coach Glen Gulutzan’s systems and style may be questioned early on this season as the Stars’ losing streak extended to four games, but as he’ll tell you, there are certain recipes that are losing recipes no matter what system you play.
Turnovers, odd-man rushes against, poor breakouts and losing the special teams battle all have been features of the Stars’ early-season losing streak that extended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings Thursday night. But the Stars cleaned up most of those areas — while excelling in one.
The Stars played a good enough game all-around to win Thursday, and that’s because their special teams carried them to force overtime. The Stars couldn’t generate enough 5-on-5 for the third straight game. But two power play goals and only one against marked a stark improvement.
“I thought that our power play looked good,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “It was dangerous.”
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Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan looks to the video replay during the first period against the Vancouver Canucks at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, October 16, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
In the Stars’ first three games of the season where they started 3-0-0, Dallas was 33% on the power play and 77% on the penalty kill. Those numbers dropped to 25% on the power play and 43% on the penalty kill in their next three losses.
However, the Stars went 2 for 5 on the power play Thursday. Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston each added power-play goals. Dallas’ penalty kill allowed a goal on 5-on-3, but held the Kings’ power play off the scoresheet on its other tries.
The Stars’ power play ranks in the top five in the league this season at 7 for 22. While Dallas is going through personnel changes with a new coaching staff and four players dealing with injuries early this season, its top power play unit has remained intact. Johnston, Robertson, Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen have experience playing together that dates back to late last season. And their chemistry is starting to show.
“I think we’ve got confidence as a unit,” Johnston said. “Overall, it feels pretty good. Feels like even if we don’t score, we’re getting really good looks and getting chances around the net.”
Hintz set up both goals the Stars scored on the man-advantage Thursday. He found Robertson alone in space just 12 seconds into a power play early in the second period, and the elite goal scorer delivered from the point. Hintz then took a shot on a power play early in the third period that went right to Johnston’s stick and was an easy finish.
Even on the three tries the Stars didn’t score, their power play looked dangerous.
“Our centermen have been bearing down, and I think that was something we needed to address from last season,” Robertson said. “And I think our retrievals is something that is a big positive for us. You shoot the puck, you get it back. You’re not one and done.”
The Stars were one odd-man rush in overtime away from putting this losing streak behind them. Dallas’ performance felt much closer to a winning performance than the last three had, and the Stars were rewarded with a point because of it. The power play was a big reason that was possible.
The pieces are coming together and the losing streak feels closer to its end than its start. The end result may still not be what they hoped for, but the Stars’ players and coaches can take some comfort knowing one of their keys to success made progress Thursday night.
“Sometimes, the results lag,” Gulutzan said. “Coaches can go to bed at night looking at games like this and go, ‘OK, we’re moving in the right direction.’”
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