DALLAS — Roope Hintz scored twice and had an assist when the Dallas Stars defeated the Nashville Predators 5-1 at American Airlines Center on Saturday.
“We’ve been playing really well these past two games,” Hintz said. “We don’t dump [the puck] now every time. Last year we dumped it a lot. I think it’s going to create more offense for us when we handle the pucks and make some plays there.”
Jake Oettinger made 29 saves for Dallas (2-0-0), which swept the season-opening home-and-home set. Jason Robertson had a goal and two assists, and Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist.
“In this room, the guys are starting to believe,” Stars forward Joe Pavelski said about new coach Peter DeBoer’s system. “We’re starting to understand what it takes and how we’re playing, and how we want to play and kind of the standard we want to set for the way we play.”
Nino Niederreiter scored, and Jesus Saros made 17 saves for Nashville (2-2-0).
“Our commitment to defend and attention to detail is not where it needs to be,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “Our competitiveness, our work ethic, it’s not close to where it needs to be to win a hockey game.”
Video: NSH@DAL: Hintz buries a shot on breakaway for a SHG
Hintz scored on a short-handed breakaway to give Dallas a 1-0 lead at 4:46 in the first period. He came off the bench on a shift change and forced a turnover. Heiskanen picked up the loose puck and spotted Hintz in the neutral zone behind the play.
“We’re waiting, almost, for something to happen instead of dictating what our plan is and what our identity is,” Niederreiter said. “We did a great job back in Europe, and the last two games against Dallas we haven’t quite done what we’re supposed to do.”
Hintz scored again to make it 2-0 when he slipped the puck through the five-hole of Saros 39 seconds into the second period.
“A lot needs to be better,” Hynes said. “I thought they played really well, and if you look at our game, we were casual with the puck. We gave them easy offense. When you turn the puck over in dangerous areas, it feeds the other team’s transition.”
Heiskanen extended the lead to 3-0 at 7:48 at 4-on-4 when he redirected a Robertson pass as he crashed the net.
“I think [the new system] is more active,” Heiskanen said. “I think we are playing more with the puck. I really like that. Great start for us, now we need to keep going and keep playing like this.”
Video: NSH@DAL: Niederreiter tips a puck in for a PPG
Niederreiter tipped a pass in front of Oettinger as a 5-on-3 power play expired to put Nashville on the board at 18:20 and make it 3-1. He has four goals in four games this season.
“I’m happy one went in, but at the end of the day, we weren’t good enough on the power play,” Niederreiter said. “We’ve got to find a way to be more tenacious and be better, and we’ve got to demand more from each other.”
Robertson restored the three-goal lead for Dallas when he finished off a tic-tac-toe play with Hintz and Pavelski to make it 4-1 at 3:13 in the third period.
“They’re electric,” DeBoer said about the top line of Hintz, Robertson, and Pavelski, which combined for three goals and five assists. “I’ve seen them before from the other bench. I like them a lot better standing where I was standing tonight. They showed up at a different level tonight.”
Mason Marchment scored into the empty net at 18:47 for the 5-1 final.
Video: NSH@DAL: Robertson nets goal after slick passing
NOTES: Predators forward Cody Glass, who was deemed a game-time decision by Hynes at the morning skate, returned to the lineup after missing the last game due to illness. He had three shots on goal in 12:23 of ice time. … Robertson had his seventh three-point game in the NHL.
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