Joel Hofer made 25 saves for his ninth career shutout and contributed an assist as the visiting St. Louis Blues beat the Dallas Stars 4-0 on Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Pius Suter and Jimmy Snuggerud each had a goal and an assist and Mason McTavish and Dalibor Dvorsky also scored for the Blues.
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 20 shots.
It took McTavish just 1:34 into the game and the 2026-27 season to pick up his first goal as a Blue after being obtained from the Anaheim Ducks in an offseason trade. McTavish put in a loose puck from just outside the crease to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
Hofer made a big save on Tyler Seguin’s tip attempt on a Dallas power play in the final seconds of the opening period.
St. Louis’ Alexey Toropchenko was helped off the ice and left the game 3:28 into the second period after being sandwiched between two Dallas players along the boards behind the Blues’ net. It appeared to be an arm or shoulder injury.
Dvorsky made it 2-0 with 6:55 left in the second on only St. Louis’ second shot of the period. Capitalizing on a Dallas turnover behind its own net, Dvorsky scored from the inside edge of the right circle after taking a pass from defenseman Philip Broberg. Oettinger fell after teammate Roope Hintz accidentally tripped the goalie as Oettinger tried to get back to the crease from behind the net.
An apparent power-play goal by Blues defenseman Adam Jiricek, who was making his NHL debut, 1:06 into the third period was wiped out by Dallas’ successful coach’s challenge for offside.
Hintz was helped off the ice 2:49 into the third period after a knee-on-knee hit by St. Louis defenseman Brandon Carlo, who was assessed a kneeing major and game misconduct. Hintz returned minutes later.
Snuggerud and Suter picked up empty-net goals 15 seconds apart in the final 2:30. Hofer got an assist on Suter’s goal.
–Field Level Media
