Robertson hoping to turn corner for Stars following Game 1 of West Final

LAS VEGAS -- Jason Robertson looked toward the sky with a look of pure joy and relief.

The Dallas Stars forward had gone eight straight games without a goal before he opened the scoring in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

"[I'm] playing on too good of a line (with Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski) to not get opportunities, not get chances," Robertson said Friday. "I just want to keep working hard to get those, however which way they come. Try to get some more next game."

That's the hope for the Stars and the 23-year-old, who has struggled to score goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He'll look to add to his total when the Stars play the Golden Knights in Game 2 here on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ABC, CBC, TVAS, SN).

Robertson is second for Dallas with 14 points this postseason, but he has just three goals, two of which came on power plays in the first round against the Minnesota Wild.

His last goal prior to Game 1 on Friday was in Game 5 against the Wild on April 25.

"You saw by his reaction, it's a weight off him, obviously," Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said Saturday. "We needed that to happen, we needed it to happen early in the series. Hopefully he turns that into one of his streaks that he's been pretty legendary for here."

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Indeed, when Robertson got going during the regular season, he could go on some tears. He had at least one goal in six consecutive games from Oct. 27-Nov. 8. He also had 34 points, which included 21 goals, in 18 straight games from Oct. 27-Dec. 4, the longest such streak in Stars history.

Robertson and his teammates have fielded a lot of questions this postseason on his lack of goal-scoring. As DeBoer said last week, a big part of that comes with being Dallas' top scorer in the regular season with 109 points, including 46 goals, and signing a four-year, $31 million contract ($7.75 million average annual value) on Oct. 6, 2022.

"But at ice level or room level, I think everyone sees he cares," DeBoer said last week. "He comes in, he wants to help us win. He's working at his game, and for me, that's all that matters and that's all that matters to the group."

It also hasn't been for lack of trying. Robertson's been getting good scoring chances and has hit a few posts.

"I mean, 'Robo's' a world-class player. He's going to get his looks," Stars defenseman Colin Miller said Friday. "He was snakebit a little bit there but I'm sure he'll persevere now."

Pavelski agreed.

"It's playoff hockey, you know? You look at the series, everything gets magnified," he said Saturday. "There are stretches in the season, you go through these. The biggest thing is just to not get down on yourself. Keep playing, keep making the next play, keep making hockey plays and find the areas. He has a great talent to him, and it was a nice goal he scored.

"We're happy for him and we want that to continue, but he's made a lot of plays and had a lot of looks. He was making confident plays, and I think you saw that the last couple of games. Even on the goal that Roope scored (in the third period of Game 1), he makes a great play, taking a little pressure, makes a play to me. So, a lot of those little plays are there right now for him."

Robertson broke through in Game 1. Whether it leads to more remains to be seen, but if it does, it'll be a big help against a tough opponent.

"It's nice to see guys score," Pavelski said. "Hopefully he can keep finding that success."