The Dallas Stars find themselves in a must-win Game 6 against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena on Thursday. With their season on the line, it's time for the team to prove they can rise to the occasion—because the runway is running out.

The opening goal tonight is massive. The Stars are a confident, veteran group, but they're also human. They know the struggles they've faced. If they fall behind 1-0 and can't generate shots, their confidence could take another hit, and they might start gripping their sticks a little too tightly.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. Unlike Games 3 and 4, when Minnesota took bad penalties and allowed Dallas to score early power-play goals that silenced the crowd, the Wild have dominated the opening period. After an easy breakout, the Stars got too puck-focused, skated past the slot, and allowed a cross-ice pass to Quinn Hughes at the point. Hughes toe-dragged around Radek Faksa and sniped one over Jake Oettinger's glove. The crowd erupted.

Quinn Hughes wasted no time making his mark in Game 6, scoring early and setting the tone for the Wild. The Stars have spent almost no time in Minnesota's end, with the Wild packing the interior, forcing turnovers, and limiting Dallas to just two shots through the first 12 minutes.

But the game has settled in, which is good news for the Stars after a rough start. Mikko Rantanen took a high stick, tried to sell it with full elevation, and left the game. It's unclear if he entered concussion protocol or suffered an injury, but his absence could be a turning point.

The Stars didn't rack up shots or create much offense, but they managed to slow Minnesota's push and even out the game—at least a little. It's a start, but they'll need to find the back of the net over the final 40 minutes to keep their season alive.