FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Stars - Game 2 - 2023

FSM Essential Recap: Golden Knights vs Stars – Game 2 – 2023

Franchise Sports Media

Vegas Golden Knights (10-3) vs Dallas Stars (8-7)

 

Chandler Stephenson’s OT goal gives the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars and a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final.  

It is game 2 of the Golden Knights vs Stars series. 

Everyone likes seconds, and that was the case for Game Two. Not only did we get another overtime, but the Vegas Golden Knights again prevailed, scoring in overtime to win 3-2 over the Dallas Stars. Chandler Stephenson was the overtime hero this time, as Vegas now leads the series 1-0 in the Western Conference Final.

Stephenson scored 1:12 into overtime after his shot went into an open net after Shae Throdore’s initial shot went under the arm of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger.

“It’s my first [playoff overtime goal], so anytime you’re in the playoffs, and watching it growing up, to be able to get a game-winner is pretty special,” Stephenson said. “It hasn’t really hit me yet that it happened. It’s cool, and to go up 2-0 is important for our group.”

The Golden Knights were trailing by a goal going into the third period until Jonathan Marchessault scored late to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The Dallas Stars played a different tempo and controlled the game compared to Game One. The Stars outshot the Golden Knights 28-24. Dallas had a chance to win it 28 seconds into overtime, but Vegas goaltender Adin Hill stopped a one-timer from Wyatt Johnson.

“That’s part of the playoff journey; the teams that go deep find ways to win in overtime,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said. “I really liked our game tonight; I thought we did a bunch of really good things, fixed a lot of things from Game 1 (a 4-3 overtime loss). Our chance in overtime was as good or better than theirs. We just have to stick them in the net.”

Vegas needed a collective team effort for the comeback win, Chandler Stephenson, Mark Stone, and Jonathan Marchessault each scored a goal, and Adin Hill ended the night with 26 saves.

“We tried to build in a culture that we’re going to use everybody and rely on everybody,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. We’re going to expect our best players to be the best players and followers to follow along and do what they do best. We’re going to give them an opportunity to do that, as well. We’re going to play them so they feel like they have value on the team.”

End of the first period in the Golden Knights vs Stars series

Just like in Game One, the Dallas Stars scored first to take a 1-0 lead in the first period. 

The start of periods 2 and 3 in the Golden Knights vs Stars series.

Miro Heiskanen scored first for Dallas in the first period, but the lead did not last long. The Golden Knights were gifted a 5-on-3 power play that resulted in Vegas scoring after Mark Stone fired his shot past Oettinger for a 1-1 tie.

Going into the second period tied, Dallas made adjustments of their own and retook the lead after Wyatt Johnson scored on a power play for a 2-1.

“We want to be good on special teams the whole series,” Robertson said. “You’ve got to take what you can; those opportunities don’t come often. We got one, but we need to work on it, keep practicing, work on things, and try to get more.”

Throughout the third period, the Dallas Stars maintained the lead. It looked like the series would be tied until Jonathan Marchessault scored after firing a one-timer from the low slot off a backhand pass from Eichel for a 2-2 tie.

“It was just one of those parts of our game plan. It was just a good forecheck,” Marchessault said. “Jack, as usual, is just an amazing player who has amazing vision. He threw it out there in the middle. He kind of knew our forecheck routes. I was just passing by, and I just had to put it in.”

The victory for the Golden Knights puts them in the driver’s seat, up 2-0, as the series now goes to Dallas for games three and four. Teams that have won the first two games in the series heading into the Stanley Cup Final have advanced 91% of the time, one of the few times the odds have been in Vegas’ favor. The Golden Knights have had usual paths to victory during the NHL playoffs by going 7-3 when the opponent scores first and posting eight comeback wins.

Vegas is only two wins away from going to their second Stanley Cup Final in franchise history, and some of the veteran Vegas players who have been to the Cup Final in 2018 want to redeem themselves after losing to the Washington Capitals.

“I think it slipped away from us that year,” Marchessault said. “I don’t want to think too far ahead. Right now, my head is in Game 3 in Dallas, and we’ll take it from there.”

The final score in game 2 of the Golden Knights vs Stars series was 3-2, Vegas.

 On Tuesday, the Golden Knights will play the Dallas Stars in Game 3  of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center. The puck drop is at 5:00 PM. The game can be seen on AT&T SportsNet (channel 313 on Cox Cable) and ESPN (channel 30 on Cox cable) or heard on 98.9 FM, FOX Sports Las Vegas 1340 AM.