The Habs gave up an early lead three minutes into the first period due to some poor defensive zone coverage that allowed Jason Demers to set up Cody Eakin three feet in front of the net for a quick tap in past a sprawling Ben Scrivens. The Habs were getting hemmed in their own zone, going four minutes without a shot attempt between the two and six minute mark of the first period.
The Habs started to fight back, testing Kari Lehtonen but not beating him. The Habs started to go head to head with the Stars in shot attempts, but were trailing in shots on net 12-8 when Alex Galchenyuk won a faceoff in the Stars' zone that led to Andrei Markov unloading a shot from the point that went in off Max Pacioretty's skate for the captain's 24th of the season.