The Dallas Stars got an early goal from John Klingberg at the start of a physical first period against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night. Dallas certainly looked better than they did in their opening game of the series, but in the end, it was Anton Khudobin who stole the show (and the full two points).
Hits aren’t much of a statistic, and by the end of the game, Florida outhit the Stars, but Dallas certainly set the tone in the opening period.
Playing a physical game is something that puts this team on its toes, and as long as they bring the hits as part of the flow of the game, it’s one of the things that makes up the their core character.