The Red Wings almost played the role of spoiler.
Luke Glendening scored two goals Monday but the Red Wings couldn't overcome Dallas in the shootout, as the Stars won 3-2.
The Stars won the shootout 2-1 in five rounds, with Denis Gurianov scoring the clincher for Dallas. Dylan Larkin scored the lone Wings goal in the shootout.
The Red Wings (16-24-7) gained a point in the first of the four game series against Dallas this week, a definite scheduling quirk, with Game 2 right back Tuesday in Dallas.
It was a big win for Dallas, which continues to be in a tight race for the playoffs.
The Stars came into the game trailing Nashville by three points for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division (the Stars have three games in hand).
Dallas was 1-6 heading into the overtime and shootout session this season, but was able to sneak out a victory over the Red Wings in this one and grab the crucial extra point.
Glendening was expected to be a sought after rental at last week's trade deadline, but the market apparently never really heated to expectations.
So, the NHL's leading face-off player remained with the Wings, and the no move worked out great Monday for the Wings.
Both goals were classic Glendening goals, if there is such a thing.
Glendening's first goal tied the game 1-1 in the second period.
The Wings had to kill off Evgeny Svechnikov's high-sticking penalty, which they did effectively and impressively.
On the ensuing rush, Alex Biega (who had two assists) fed Svechikov skating up the wing.
Svechnikov snapped a shot that goalie Anton Khudobin swiped away, but the puck went straight to Glendening in the slot. Glendening, going to the net, batted a backhand rebound from the slot, tying the game 1-1 at 7:45 of the second period.
After Dallas took a 2-1 lead on Jason Robertson's (a California native who played youth hockey for Little Caesars) 13th goal, Glendening again got on the scoreboard.
Biega's shot from the point was redirected by Glendening, who broke free from defenseman John Klingberg and deflected the puck past Khudobin for his fifth goal, and fourth career two-goal game.
The Wings appeared to take a lead early in the third period, but Sam Gagner's apparent goal was waved off.
Vladislav Namestnikov couldn't stop and skated into contact with Khudobin, enough to have Gagner's goal wiped away.
The Wings have talked about this particular week as a chance to get a bit of a playoff hockey, as it were, given the four consecutive games against the same team — and facing a team that was a Stanley Cup finalist last season, is fighting to get back into the playoffs, and whose style of play is suited for the playoffs.
“(We’ll) treat it like first four games of a playoff series, two games there and we have to games at home,” said Larkin last weekend, before the series began. “It’s going to be physical and going to be tight checking and we need to respond to that, it’s a great challenge.
“I know our guys will look at it like that and we have to step up and rise to the occasion.”
Roope Hintz (power play) opened the Dallas, and game's scoring at 15:50 of the first period.
With Darren Helm in the box for delay of game, Hintz received a pass from Miro Heiskanen near the dot. Hintz faked Michael Rasmussen out of position, drifted into the slot, and wristed a shot past goaltender Thomas Greiss just inside the post for Hintz' 14th goal.
