Penguins Defeat Stars in Tight Home Matchup

Pittsburgh edges Dallas in low-scoring affair at PPG Paints Arena

Mar. 28, 2026 at 6:20am

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The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Dallas Stars 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena. The game was a tight, defensive battle with both teams struggling to find the back of the net for much of the contest.

Why it matters

This was an important matchup between two of the top teams in their respective divisions, with the Penguins and Stars both jockeying for playoff positioning in the Eastern and Western Conferences. The win keeps Pittsburgh in second place in the Metropolitan Division, while Dallas remains second in the Central despite the loss.

The details

The Penguins opened the scoring in the first period with a goal from Rickard Rakell, but the Stars answered back in the second to tie it at 1-1. Pittsburgh regained the lead in the third period on another Rakell goal, but Dallas responded quickly to make it 3-3 and force overtime. In the shootout, the Penguins prevailed to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 5:00 pm EDT.
  • Pittsburgh led 3-2 in the third period before Dallas tied it up with just two minutes remaining in regulation.

The players

Rickard Rakell

Penguins forward who scored two goals in the game.

Stuart Skinner

Penguins goaltender who made 26 saves and stopped 3 of 4 shootout attempts.

Jason Robertson

Stars forward who leads the team with 39 goals and 46 assists this season.

Jake Oettinger

Stars goaltender who stopped 36 of 39 shots but took the loss in the shootout.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough game against a very good Dallas team. I'm proud of the way our guys battled and found a way to get the two points.”

— Mike Sullivan, Penguins Head Coach

What’s next

The Penguins will look to build on this win as they continue their push for the playoffs, while the Stars will try to bounce back from the loss in their next game.

The takeaway

This was a hard-fought, low-scoring affair between two of the NHL's top teams, showcasing the defensive strengths of both the Penguins and Stars. The win keeps Pittsburgh firmly in the playoff picture in the East, while Dallas will need to regroup to maintain their position in the West.