3 takeaways from Senators' 4-2 loss in Dallas against Stars to begin 2025

After closing out 2024 with a 3-1 win against the Minnesota Wild this past Sunday, the Ottawa Senators began 2025 on the road against the Dallas Stars.

It was the third consecutive game that the Senators would face a Central Division team that would be in the 2025 playoffs if the season ended today. Against the Stars, the Senators started off the game on the right track, but couldn't finish down the stretch.

The Stars defeated the Senators 4-2 at American Airlines Center to drop the Senators to 19-16-2 on the season. With the loss, the Senators have now lost three of their past four games.

The loss marked the third consecutive loss in Dallas for the Senators. What once looked like a promising start to begin 2025, would turn into a rough loss.

3. Insane history for Senators against Stars repeats itself

When the Senators fell 5-4 against the Stars last season in Dallas, Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger allowed in two goals on the first two Senator shots on goal. This season in Dallas, history repeated itself.

Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Greig each scored a goal in a 24-second span. Tkachuk and Greig's goals came on the first two Senator shots on goal to have history repeat itself again in Dallas. The goals came after the Senators allowed a powerplay goal to Roope Hintz under five minutes into the game.

2. Hot streak continues

Greig ended 2024 hot with scoring goals in three of his final final five games of 2024. Heading into 2025, Greig continued his hot stretch of scoring goals.

At 8:09 of the first period, Greig scored a goal to give the Senators a 2-1 lead just 24 seconds after Tkachuk scored. Greig's goal marked his third consecutive game with scoring a goal.

The goal by Greig also marked the first time in his career that he scored a goal in three consecutive games. Greig now has six goals scored this season.

1. Not enough in the second period and third period

The Senators headed into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead. In the second period, the Stars took total control of the game.

Past halfway through the second period, Jamie Benn and Hintz each scored a goal in a 1:08 span to give the Stars a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.

The Senators began the third period on the penalty kill just 32 seconds into the period. Shane Pinto had a quality shorthanded chance to score, but was denied by Oettinger. After Oettinger's save on Pinto, the Senators went over 14 minutes without a shot on goal. The Senators recorded just two shots on goal in the third period to finish the game with 13 shots on goal. Not enough against a good Stars team.

Ex-Senator Matt Duchene scored an insurance goal with 6:23 remaining in regulation to put the Stars up 4-2 and added an assist as well. The two goals scored by Hintz now puts him at 18 goals for the season.

In the loss, Leevi Merilainen made 21 saves. The Senators failed on three powerplay opportunities combined in the second period and third period.

The Senators have a quick turnaround in under 24 hours as they conclude their first back-to-back tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues at 8 p.m. ET. On Oct. 29 in Ottawa, the Senators dominated the Blues by winning 8-1.