A slashing penalty in the first period and a retaliatory cross-check in the second sent Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson to the penalty box twice, prompting a conversation with coach Bruce Cassidy during the second intermission.
“Let’s not let our egos get in the way of having success,” Cassidy told Stephenson. “It’s playoffs. You deal with it.”
Stephenson took that advice to heart, jumping on a rebound 1:12 into overtime to secure a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, giving the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final.
Stephenson, Jonathan Marchessault, and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist for Vegas, with Adin Hill making 26 saves.
Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson scored for the Stars, and Ryan Suter had two assists. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves.
Game 3 is Tuesday in Dallas.
Teams that have won the first two games in the series preceding the Stanley Cup Final have advanced 91% of the time, a rare instance where the odds favor the Knights. They have defied conventional playoff paths, going 7-3 when the opponent scores first and posting eight comeback wins.
Dallas led 1-0 and 2-1 before Marchessault forced overtime with a slot shot with just 2:22 left in the third period, capitalizing on a no-look pass from Jack Eichel after a turnover by Suter.
“After that, it was like, ‘All right, we’re back in this,’ and I think we have that belief that we’re not going to lose,” Stephenson said.
The Stars have struggled in overtime, going 0-4 in OT games this postseason, becoming the fifth team to lose that many. For the first time in NHL history, all four games of the conference finals have gone to overtime.
“I thought we did a bunch of really good things, fixed a lot of things from Game 1,” Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. “I thought Jack Eichel and Marchessault made a big-time play to tie it, and we respond. Our chance in overtime was as good or better than theirs. We’ve just got to stick it in the net.”
Both teams took advantage of odd bounces to score in the first period.
Heiskanen scored just 2:47 into the game for the Stars, with the puck hopping over Hill. Vegas tied it at 10:08 when the puck went off Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell’s skate, and Stone buried the 5-on-3 power-play goal from an unusual double penalty on the Stars — their only two infractions.
Robertson scored for the second game in a row, knocking in a rebound on a power play at 9:21 of the second period to put Dallas back in front at 2-1. The Stars’ defense allowed just 10 shots on goal through the first two periods.
The Knights increased the pressure in the third period with 12 shots on goal, forced overtime, and then won it quickly in the extra session.
Stephenson capped what had been a difficult day with a memorable shot.
“I obviously need to keep my emotions a little more in check,” Stephenson said. “You never want to give a team with a good power play two good opportunities. It was nice to finish it off with that.”
BEST KNIGHTS TEAM?
The Knights are two victories from making their second Stanley Cup Final. Their other trip was in the Knights’ historic first season in 2018, with six players remaining from the team known as the Golden Misfits.
“This year, we have the best team we’ve ever had, not only on paper but the way we play,” said Marchessault, one of the Misfits. “I think that’s the biggest thing right now.”
The Knights have come close to returning to the championship round, twice making the semifinals. They also are still chasing their first title, having lost the 2018 Cup Final in five games to Washington.
“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.”
