3 Takeaways From Blues’ 4-0 Win Over Stars in Season Opener

The St. Louis Blues are 1-0-0 to start the 2026-27 season after shutting out the Dallas Stars 4-0 in their home opener.

Mason McTavish opened the scoring early in his Blues debut before Dalibor Dvorsky doubled the lead in the second period. Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter then capped off the win with two empty-net goals in the third. At the other end, Joel Hofer stopped all 25 shots he faced as the Blues put together a strong performance from start to finish.

McTavish and Jiricek Make Strong First Impressions

Mason McTavish could not have scripted a better start to his Blues career. Just 94 seconds into the game, he scored his first goal in a Blues uniform to give St. Louis an early 1-0 lead. Colton Parayko created the chance with a shot toward the net, collected his rebound and guided the puck toward McTavish. The 23-year-old crashed the crease and finished the play, showing the physical style the Blues hoped to get after acquiring him from the Anaheim Ducks.

Jiricek thought he scored his first NHL goal in his debut, but it was overturned for offside. Still, his impact was noticeable. The defenseman looked comfortable from the start, totaling 16:35 of ice time, made several strong reads and consistently put himself in good position. He also helped create Dvorsky’s goal by getting the puck deep and around the boards, allowing Pius Suter to win the race before Philip Broberg found Dvorsky in front.

Jiricek finished with one shot on goal and looked right at home in his first NHL game.

Blues Set the Tone With Aggressive Style

The Blues wasted no time starting the attack and were at it for the very first shift.

St. Louis consistently put pucks toward the net, crashed the crease and pressured Dallas’ defensemen. That pressure helped the Blues establish their offensive rhythm and forced the Stars into mistakes. The physicality was also on display when Jake Neighbours dropped the gloves with Arttu Hyry after being hit from behind. Neighbours landed several punches and stood up for himself for what he felt was a dirty hit. The rest of the team was not afraid of contact and played physically all game.

There was a downside to that style, as the Blues racked up 26 penalty minutes. St. Louis will need to keep that intensity without giving opponents too many chances with the man advantage.

Still, the Blues continued to attack and eventually doubled their lead. Jiricek sent the puck deep, and Suter won the race and poked it toward Broberg. Instead of shooting, Broberg found Dvorsky, who had an open net after Jake Oettinger lost his footing.

The play perfectly illustrated what St. Louis was doing well. The Blues were getting pucks behind Dallas’ defense, winning races and forcing the Stars to make mistakes.

Blues Defense Was Impeccable

The Blues’ offense was impressive, but their defensive effort may have been the biggest reason they left opening night with a shutout.

Dallas managed 25 shots on goal, but Hofer stopped every one of them. St. Louis did a great job preventing dangerous chances and repeatedly forced the Stars to shoot from the outside. The Blues also blocked 12 shots and protected the middle of the ice, while their defensemen consistently got sticks in passing lanes and broke up plays before they developed.

Jiricek was a big part of that effort, making several strong defensive reads and showing he could be trusted in his first NHL game.

The penalty kill was just as impressive. St. Louis went 4-for-4 while shorthanded, including a lengthy opportunity following Neighbours’ fight with Hyry. Dallas never found the back of the net with the man advantage. That defensive structure, combined with Hofer’s 25-save shutout, made life difficult for Dallas all night.

The Blues will look to build on their strong start when they head to Colorado to face the Avalanche on Saturday.