Like a long lost friend at a family reunion, the Stars on Tuesday found their scoring touch once again.
And as it was for much of last season, that allowed them to outscore their problems in a 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center.
Yes, Dallas was outshot 43-20. Yes, it allowed another power-play goal against, its league-leading 45th. Yes, it lost the faceoff battle 36-22.
But the Stars scored early and often, and that provided the team with the kind of swagger it enjoyed while winning the Central Division in 2016.