Nothing of note happened in that first period, right?
(Don’t ask about Cody Eakin. If you don’t say his name, then maybe the NHL will forget that he lost his way for a few moments.)
The Rangers were probably the better team in the first, thanks to a heaping helping of special teams opportunities, including a prolonged 5-on-3 involving the Eakin major. And in a strange reversal of fortunes for most of this year, it was the Stars special teams that helped them survive that frame unscathed by all the shenanigans.
The Stars got their own opportunities on special teams in the second as the Rangers kept racking up procedural fouls like too many men and delay of game, but strong work from Lundqvist (who returned to the game quickly after being medically cleared) and some bad luck in the form of posts kept them off the scoreboard.