With the Dallas Stars’ season on the brink, Ty Dellandrea, a healthy scratch in the first two games of the Western Conference Final, stepped up quickly. Dellandrea scored two crucial goals in just 1:27 during the third period, lifting the Stars to a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday and keeping their Stanley Cup hopes alive.
“He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with,” said Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who made 27 saves. “He didn’t make it about him when he wasn’t playing. He got his chance, and he made the most of it.”
The Stars avoided elimination for the second consecutive game and will head home for Game 6 on Monday, trailing the series 3-2. Dallas is attempting to become only the fifth team in NHL history to return from a 3-0 series deficit.
Adding to their momentum, Stars captain Jamie Benn will return from a two-game suspension for his cross-check on Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3, the only game in this series that was decided early. Until Saturday, Dallas had not led by more than one goal.
“We weren’t happy being in the hole we were in, and the group decided to change that,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “Now we’re rolling.”
DeBoer emphasized the desire to keep playing and minimize the wait for Game 6. “Drop the puck already,” he added.
Conversely, the Golden Knights have let two chances slip away to advance to the Stanley Cup Final and now face mounting pressure as the series shifts back to Dallas.
“We haven’t played our best the last two games,” said Vegas captain Mark Stone. “We’ve had chances to close it out, but now we’ve got to bring more effort and play more urgently.”
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy was critical of his team’s play, especially their sloppiness. “We had 24 giveaways,” he said. “You’re not beating anyone, not even the Arizona Coyotes, with that many turnovers.”
Dellandrea’s performance stood out, marking his first multi-goal playoff game. Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening also scored for Dallas, with Thomas Harley providing two assists.
Chandler Stephenson and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Golden Knights, while Jonathan Marchessault extended his points streak to four games with two assists. Adin Hill made 30 saves in the loss.
Dellandrea’s go-ahead goal came from the right circle, with the puck deflecting off Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and into the net with 9:25 left in the third, making it 3-2. Less than two minutes later, Dellandrea scored again from the slot, sealing the victory.
“The older guys kept me focused and ready,” Dellandrea said of his time on the sidelines. “It’s tough, but I’m grateful for the support.”
The teams traded goals throughout the first two periods. Barbashev opened the scoring for Vegas with a slick move past Oettinger at 6:24 of the first period, but Dallas quickly responded with Glendening’s deflection goal just two minutes later.
Dallas nearly took the lead when Roope Hintz had a point-blank shot, but Hill made a remarkable glove save to keep it level.
The pattern continued in the second period, with Stephenson giving Vegas the lead at 16:40, only for Robertson to tie it up with his own rebound just 2:09 later. Stephenson’s goal was his eighth of the playoffs, tying a Golden Knights record, while Robertson netted his fifth goal of the series.
Game 6 is set for Monday in Dallas, where the Stars will look to extend the series and complete their improbable comeback.
