Dallas instead had to wait to get on the board until captain Jamie Benn scored with 3:53 left in the first period to cut his team’s deficit to 2-1. Left wing Jason Robertson then answered Hertl’s goal with 1:31 left until the first intermission to put the Stars within a goal again.

Dallas never found an equalizer.

Defenseman Brayden McNabb scored his fourth career playoff goal 1:06 into the second period to stretch the Knights’ lead to 4-2. It was one of only seven shots for the team the final two periods. It didn’t matter.

The Knights played the same kind of strong defense in the second and third periods that they did on their way to a Stanley Cup championship last season.

Dallas got a third-period goal from Marchment to claw within 4-3 but got no closer. The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and tipped home-ice advantage in their favor.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

1. Fourth line sets tone

The Knights’ fourth line was reunited Monday as left wing William Carrier played his first game since March 25 after recovering from an upper-body injury.

The group got off to a strong start.

Center Nicolas Roy, playing between Carrier and right wing Keegan Kolesar, drew a high-sticking penalty on the game’s first shift.

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