The Dallas Stars hosted the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Western Conference final, hoping to bounce back from their consecutive losses. However, what followed was a complete self-destruction by the Stars that led to a 4-0 win for the Golden Knights.
The game began with a quick goal by Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault just 71 seconds into the game. Things took a turn for the worse when Jamie Benn, the captain of the Stars, got ejected for an undisciplined penalty less than two minutes into the game. Benn’s penalty involved pulling down Golden Knights captain Mark Stone and cross-checking him in the face/neck area, leaving the Stars without their No. 4 playoff scorer for the remainder of the game.
Ivan Barbashev scored on the five-minute power play, and William Carrier scored 17 seconds after the penalty ended, giving Vegas a commanding 3-0 lead. Stars coach Peter DeBoer decided to pull goalie Jake Oettinger after he allowed three goals on five shots for the third time this postseason.
DeBoer’s actions were not enough to turn the game for the Stars, as they lost forward Evgenii Dadonov to a lower-body injury after a collision with teammate Roope Hintz, putting them down to only ten forwards. The fans’ frustration was evident as they threw objects on the ice, causing officials to end the second period early and move the final 22 seconds to the start of the third period.
The Stars’ Max Domi picked up fourteen penalty minutes later in the second period after a scuffle with Nicolas Hague. Coach DeBoer acknowledged that the team needed to improve in all aspects to make a comeback from their current position.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights played an impressive game, scoring first for only the fourth time in the playoffs and not needing to come from behind as they have done on eight occasions. Barbashev, a trade deadline acquisition and a previous Stanley Cup winner, had a goal and two assists, giving him thirteen points in fourteen games this postseason.
Carrier and Alex Pietrangelo also scored their first goals of the postseason, contributing to the Golden Knights’ win. Adin Hill had his first career playoff shutout, denying any chance for the Stars to mount a comeback.
The Golden Knights’ third consecutive win has given them a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, with the chance of clinching their second appearance in the Stanley Cup Final with a win in Dallas on Thursday night.
Notably, this self-destruction has only worsened the Stars’ situation, leading them to an almost impossible position to make a comeback. The Stars will need to regroup and come up with a winning strategy, or they will witness the Golden Knights claim their spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
