LAS VEGAS -- The first time Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer returned to Las Vegas to face his former team, there was a different vibe and emotion from when he'd visited T-Mobile Arena as coach of the San Jose Sharks, before he coached the Vegas Golden Knights.
DeBoer has never wavered in his praise and appreciation of Vegas' hockey community and how it welcomed him as a formerly hated rival while coaching the Sharks.
Since DeBoer took over in Dallas, and Bruce Cassidy became bench boss in Vegas, the teams have established a spirited rivalry.
When 15 players were polled before the season as to which team is Vegas' No. 1 rival, one vote came in for the Stars.
"Well, Dallas, I think, is also a factor as well," Bettman said, after being told 13 of the Knights identified Edmonton as the chief rival. "They generally develop in playoff rounds, which is why I think our playoff structure and the way we seed through our regular season works very well for us. ... And when we see rivalries develop, it's a lot of fun."
Vegas beat Dallas in the Western Conference Final en route to hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2023, and in return, the Stars eliminated the Golden Knights this past May in the first round of the playoffs.
Dallas swept the three-game regular-season series two seasons back, while Vegas swept the regular-season tilts last season.
Both teams are Western Conference contenders once again, and on Friday night the teams will meet for the seventh regular-season clash since Bruce Cassidy replaced DeBoer, and the latter took over in Dallas.
Here's a glance at the battles since the coaching changes:
Jan. 16, 2023: The Stars arrived in Vegas for DeBoer's first game against the Golden Knights since being fired after the previous season, and his new team treated him to a 4-0 win inside T-Mobile Arena. DeBoer told reporters he wanted to practice chugging a beer so he could slam one in front of his players in the event they delivered the win, but couldn't find one in his Vegas home. Apparently, he pulled it off "cold turkey" after the win. "Nailed it," he exclaimed.
Feb. 25, 2023: A little more than a month later, back in Vegas, the Stars and Knights would skate to a 2-2 deadlock and end up in a shootout. After Vegas' Paul Cotter and Jack Eichel were unsuccessful with their attempts, Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz were the heroes, as the Stars improved to 2-0 in the season series.
April 8, 2023: In the final regular-season game, once again, the teams skated into overtime after finishing 1-1 in regulation, and once again, ended up in a shootout. Hintz would be the only skater to find the back of the net, as none of the Knights' shooters - Pavel Dorofeyev, Jonathan Marchessault and Cotter - would convert. The Stars finish with a regular-season sweep.
May 19-29, 2023: In the wildest of scenarios that seemed destined to take place, the Knights and Stars would meet for the right to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas earned back-to-back overtime wins on home ice, and took a 3-0 series lead with a dominating 4-0 victory in Dallas. The Stars battled to a one-game deficit by taking Games 4 and 5, but it would be the Knights celebrating the Campbell Bowl trophy on Dallas' home ice with a 6-0 victory in Game 6.
Oct. 17, 2023: A rematch of the conference finals would take place early on, with the Knights playing their fourth game of the season and the Stars playing just their second. And for a third-consecutive regular-season clash, the newly heated rivals would go to a shootout. This time, however, Shea Theodore and Marchessault would net successful attempts, while only Matt Duchene would convert for Dallas, resulting in a 3-2 shootout win for the Knights.
Nov. 22, 2023: A rematch a little more than a month later would take place in Dallas, and for the fourth straight regular-season battle - and seventh overall in 11 meetings since the coaching changes - the teams would end up in overtime. No shootout necessary, though, as Eichel would play the role of hero in this one, scoring 1:57 into overtime and lifting Vegas to a 2-1 road win.
Dec. 9, 2023: The final regular-season meeting would take place 17 days later, and it would be all Vegas in Dallas' barn, as six different skaters scored for the Knights in a 6-1 victory, giving them the regular-season sweep.
April 22 - May 5: Vegas shocked many by opening the postseason with two wins in Dallas, scoring 4-3 and 3-1 road victories. The Stars would answer, however, winning the next three games to push the then-defending champs to the brink of elimination. Vegas returned home and forced a Game 7 with a 2-0 win. Dallas - and DeBoer - would get the last laugh with a 2-1 victory in Game 7.
The Stars have earned points in eight of their last 10 games against Vegas (4-2-4), as Dallas has registered wins in two of its past three games inside T-Mobile Arena.
