Brett Howden couldn’t help but think of the marathon game between Florida and Carolina that lasted four overtimes the previous night when the Dallas Stars forced overtime against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night with just 1:59 left.
“I don’t think too many guys were saying it, but I think they were thinking it,” Howden said.
Howden ensured that he and his Vegas teammates avoided a long night. He scored the winning goal just 1:35 into overtime, banking the puck off Stars goalie Jake Oettinger from behind the net to secure a 4-3 victory for the Knights in Game 1 of their Western Conference final.
“I just tried throwing it in there,” Howden said. “I got lucky that it went in. I think Oettinger put it in himself.”
This marked the third time in four meetings this season that these teams needed extra time to determine a winner. Dallas won both regular-season matchups in shootouts.
The Stars are no strangers to overtime in the postseason either, having opened their last three series with OT losses. They know how to bounce back from such setbacks.
The Knights were on the brink of victory until Dallas pulled Oettinger for an extra skater, and Jamie Benn forced overtime with a goal during a 6-on-5 scenario.
Despite the sudden shift from potential victory to a tie game, the Knights kept their composure and quickly claimed the series lead.
“I said, ‘Let’s get this over with early so everyone can go home tonight,’” joked Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “I watched the (Florida-Carolina) game from start to finish. I found out the beauty of being out West now. When the game ended, it was 11 o’clock at night. … We were able to capitalize on the first look. Sometimes that happens; sometimes it takes four overtimes.”
William Karlsson scored two goals for Vegas, extending his postseason tally to seven and his point streak to three games.
“You want to be one of the guys that contribute,” Karlsson said. “This is when it matters the most. I’m feeling good, and the puck is bouncing my way.”
Teddy Blueger also scored for the Knights, Zach Whitecloud had two assists, and Adin Hill made 33 saves.
Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson each had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Hintz now has 10 postseason goals and 12 assists and has scored in four of the past five games. Joe Pavelski added two assists, and Oettinger stopped 33 shots.
Game 2 is Sunday in Las Vegas.
The Stars took an early lead after a quirky bounce off the boards near the Zamboni entrance sent the puck to Hintz, who then set up Robertson for a 1-0 lead with 1:16 left in the first.
Vegas tied the score midway through the second period when Whitecloud’s shot from the point rebounded to Karlsson, who capitalized.
Both teams had near-misses in the second period. A shot from Vegas’ Alec Martinez sat on the goal line behind Oettinger, and Dallas’ Tyler Seguin hit the post during a rush.
Karlsson gave the Knights a 2-1 lead early in the third, but Hintz responded for the Stars at 4:10 of the period. Blueger scored at 9:20 during a crease scramble before Benn tied it up in the final two minutes.
The Stars improved as the game progressed after being outshot 11-1.
“I thought we got better as the game went on,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “I thought our third period was our best. I thought our first period was our worst.”
NO CHALLENGE FROM DALLAS
If not for Benn’s late equalizer, Blueger’s goal would have been the game-winner. DeBoer chose not to challenge for goaltender interference, which could have resulted in a power play for the Knights if unsuccessful.
Blueger scored after Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen and Ryan Suter pushed Keegan Kolesar into Oettinger.
“Our guys in the video room looked at it and felt that Miro’s stick was in (Kolesar’s) feet, potentially tripping him into the goalie, and that Ryan Suter potentially pushed him in,” DeBoer said. “We don’t get those views over on the bench. Those are things decided in the war room. I looked at it between periods. It would have been a tough challenge.”
