Stars Face Golden Knights in High-Stakes Rivalry Showdown

DALLAS, Texas — The Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights, two of the NHL‘s fiercest rivals, will clash Friday night at the American Airlines Center in a matchup brimming with playoff implications. The game marks the second meeting this season between the teams, with Vegas claiming a 3-2 victory in December.

The Stars (29-17-1, 59 points) enter the contest third in the Central Division, while the Golden Knights (30-14-4, 64 points) lead the Pacific Division. Both teams are coming off contrasting results: Dallas fell 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, while Vegas snapped a six-game skid with a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

“They’re a really good rival, a really good team,” said Stars head coach Pete DeBoer, who previously coached the Golden Knights. “There’s not a lot of separation between the two teams over the years. They got us the first time around, we got them last year. It’s great hockey when we get together with them.”

The rivalry has intensified in recent years, with the teams meeting in the playoffs three times in the last five seasons. Vegas eliminated Dallas in the 2023 Western Conference Final en route to winning the Stanley Cup, but the Stars exacted revenge last season with a thrilling seven-game series victory in the first round.

Dallas forward Wyatt Johnston enters the game on a five-game point streak (1-6—7), while Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore has registered 10 points (1-9—10) in his last five games. Stars center Roope Hintz, who returned from an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s loss, will look to build on his 19-minute performance against Carolina.

The Stars also recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel from the AHL’s Texas Stars on Thursday. The 20-year-old, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 231 pounds, has played eight NHL games this season, recording two goals and 26 hits. “When you look at his path, he had a great camp,” DeBoer said of Bichsel. “We sent him down, he handled that the right way, and when we brought him back, I thought he played really well.”

Vegas will rely on center Tomas Hertl, who has scored in each of his last four games and is riding a seven-game point streak. The Golden Knights also boast the NHL’s second-most third-period goals (67), while Dallas ranks 15th with 51.

The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, with puck drop scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The Stars will face the St. Louis Blues on Saturday before returning home to host Vegas again on January 31.