VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES:
2023 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS – WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. DALLAS STARS
Golden Knights 2022-23 Regular Season Record: 51-22-9, 111 points (25-15-1 at Home, 26-7-8 on Road)
DATE RESULT VGK GOALS VGK GOALIE DAL GOALIE
May 19 Vegas 4, Dallas 3 OT 71(2), 53, 21 Hill Oettinger
May 21 Vegas 3, Dallas 2 OT 61, 81, 20 Hill Oettinger
May 23 Vegas 4, Dallas 0 81, 49, 28, 7 Hill Oettinger/Wedgewood
May 25 Vegas 2, Dallas 3 OT 71, 81 Hill Oettinger
May 27 Vegas 2, Dallas 4 49, 20 Hill Oettinger
DATE OPPONENT TIME (PT) TELEVISION RADIO SPANISH RADIO
May 29 at Dallas Stars 5 p.m. ESPN Fox Sports 98.9 FM/1340 AM Deportes 1460 AM
May 31* vs. Dallas Stars 6 p.m. ESPN Fox Sports 98.9 FM/1340 AM Deportes 1460 AM
*If Necessary
Game 5 Recap
May 27 – Vegas Golden Knights 2, Dallas Stars 4
The Vegas Golden Knights were defeated by the Dallas Stars, 4-2, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final on Saturday night at TMobile Arena. Vegas leads the series, 3-2. Vegas got on the board first as Ivan Barbashev tucked a shot past Jake Oettinger, but Luke Glendening’s goal less than two minutes later tied the game at 1-1. Chandler Stephenson gave the Golden Knights the lead again early in the second period, but Jason Robertson answered quickly to make it 2-2. Ty Dellandrea scored twice in the third period as Dallas won the game, 4-2, and extended the series.
VGK/DAL – Regular Season Recap
The Golden Knights held a 0-1-2 record against the Stars in the 2022-23 regular season. In the first matchup, Vegas was shut out, 4-0, by Jake Oettinger. In the second contest, Michael Amadio and Jack Eichel each scored to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 advantage, until Roope Hintz scored in the final 38 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime. After a scoreless extra session, it was Jason Robertson and Hintz who each put pucks past Laurent Brossoit to secure the comeback win in the shootout. In the final meeting of the season, Brett Howden got Vegas on the board first, but Joel Kiviranta tied things up for Dallas and forced overtime. Neither team was able to finish things in the extra session and it was Hintz who was the shootout hero again.
Playoff History with Dallas
Western Conference Final 2020 (1-4)
- Sep. 6 vs. DAL – Vegas 0, Dallas 1
- Sep. 8 vs. DAL – Vegas 3, Dallas 0
- Sep. 8 vs. DAL – Vegas 2, Dallas 3 OT
- Sep. 12 vs. DAL – Vegas 1, Dallas 2
- Sep. 14 vs DAL – Vegas 2, Dallas 3 OT
It’s Clinching Time
With one more win against the Stars, the Golden Knights will earn their second Stanley Cup Final berth in their six-year history. Game 6 with Dallas will be Vegas’ third chance to move on to the final round; the Golden Knights hold a 9-10 franchise record when they have a chance to clinch a playoff series. The Golden Knights have closed out a series four times on the road, most recently this season when Vegas defeated Edmonton 5-2 to advance to the Western Conference Final.
Great Eight
Chandler Stephenson found the back of the net for the second time in the Western Conference Final and eighth time in the postseason to join Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson for the team lead in goals. The three have matched the franchise record for most goals scored in a single playoff run, joining Alex Tuch (2020) and matching Marchessault’s own total from 2018. Stephenson has recorded twice as many points this postseason than his previous career-high with 14 (8-6—14) in 16 games played.
Magic Number
Vegas is 43-3 all-time when scoring at least three goals in the playoffs, including wins in each of the last 31 such instances. In all four losses this postseason, the Golden Knights have been held to one or two goals.
In the Winning Business
Vegas (49-33 in 82 GP) has a postseason winning percentage of .598, leading all NHL franchises. The Golden Knights’ 49 playoff wins are the second-most in the NHL since 2017-18, trailing only Tampa Bay’s 98 victories.
Comeback Season
The Golden Knights completed their eighth comeback win of the postseason on Game 2 and became the sixth team in NHL playoff history to do so in four straight games. Vegas has allowed the first goal in 10 of their 15 playoff games this year and holds a record of 7-3 after allowing the first goal in the game. Vegas’ five games scoring first are the fewest among the final four teams in the 2023 playoffs.
DALLAS STARS NOTES:
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Time (CT) DAL [C2] vs. VGK [P1] Location TV/Radio/Result
Game 1 Fri, May 19 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Vegas T-Mobile Arena Vegas 4, Stars 3 (OT)
Game 2 Sun, May 21 2 p.m. Dallas at Vegas T-Mobile Arena Vegas 3, Dallas 2 (OT)
Game 3 Tue, May 23 7 p.m. Vegas at Dallas American Airlines Center Vegas 4, Dallas 0
Game 4 Thu, May 25 7 p.m. Vegas at Dallas American Airlines Center Dallas 3, Vegas 2 (OT)
Game 5 Sat, May 27 7 p.m. Dallas at Vegas T-Mobile Arena Dallas 4, Vegas 2
Game 6 Mon, May 29 7 p.m. Vegas at Dallas American Airlines Center ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 7 * Wed, May 31 8 p.m. Dallas at Vegas T-Mobile Arena ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS
- if necessary
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
April 3 – Recalled defenseman Thomas Harley from Texas (AHL)
April 19 – Recalled forward Riley Tufte from Texas (AHL)
April 26 – Loaned forward Riley Tufte to Texas (AHL)
May 6 – Signed defenseman Lian Bichsel to a three-year entry-level contract
May 25 – Recalled forwards Mavrik Bourque and Rhett Gardner from Texas (AHL)
May 25 – Recalled forwards Oskar Back, Matej Blumel, Marián Studenič and Riley Tufte, defensemen Alexander
Petrovic and Ryan Shea and goaltender Matt Murray from Texas (AHL)
HOW THE STARS-GOLDEN KNIGHTS SERIES HAS UNFOLDED
Game 1: May 19, 2023 – STARS 3 at GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4 (OT) | Vegas leads series 1-0
Despite a game-tying marker at the 58:01 mark of the third period from captain Jamie Benn (1-0—1), the Stars fell 4-3 in overtime on a goal from Vegas forward Brett Howden just 1:35 into sudden death. Dallas opened the scoring on a goal from forward Jason Robertson, who finished the game with a multi-point performance (1-1—2). Forward Roope Hintz continued his torrid pace in the playoffs, leading all skaters with three points (1-2—3). Forward Joe Pavelski added two assists (0-2—2), while goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped 33 of 37 shots.
PP: 0-2 | PK: 1-1 | SF: 36 | SA: 37 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (29:23 – game high) | Attendance: 18,271
Three Stars: 1. VGK – B. Howden 2. VGK – W. Karlsson 3. DAL – J. Benn
Game 2: May 21, 2023 – STARS 2 at GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3 (OT) | Vegas leads series 2-0
The Stars opened the scoring and held a one-goal lead in the final minutes of regulation but fell in overtime for the second consecutive game. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen (1-0—1) tallied his first goal of the playoffs at the 2:47 mark of the opening frame and forward Jason Robertson (1-0—1) scored his second goal in as many games with a power-play tally midway through the middle frame. Defenseman Ryan Suter (0-2—2) assisted on both goals, while forwards Luke Glendening (0-1—1) and Evgenii Dadonov (0-1—1) added helpers. Goaltender Jake Oettinger made 21 saves on 24
shots.
PP: 1-3 | PK: 1-2 | SF: 28 | SA: 24 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (28:19 – game high) | Attendance: 18,358
Three Stars: 1. VGK – C. Stephenson 2. VGK – J. Marchessault 3. VGK – M. Stone
Game 3: May 23, 2023 – STARS 0 vs. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4 | Vegas leads series 3-0
The Stars suffered their third defeat of the series with a 4-0 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 3 at American Airlines Center. Dallas outshot Vegas 34-16 but were shutout for the first time in the playoffs (16 GP). Jake Oettinger made his 16th start of the postseason but was pulled 7:10 into the first period (three saves on five shots). Scott Wedgewood came on in relief for the remainder of the game and made 10 saves on 11 shots. Defenseman Jani Hakanpää made his series debut, recording four hits, two shots and two blocked shots in 18:36 TOI. Forward Radek Faksa went 77% in the faceoff dot, winning 10 of 13 draws.
PP: 0-2 | PK: 5-6 | SF: 34 | SA: 16 | DAL TOI: E. Lindell (22:16 – game high) | Attendance: 18,532
Three Stars: 1. VGK – A. Hill 2. VGK – I. Barbashev 3. VGK – A. Pietrangelo
Game 4: May 25, 2023 – STARS 3 vs. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2 (OT) |
Vegas leads series 3-1 With their backs against the wall in a must-win scenario, the Stars came through in sudden death with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 to extend their series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Twice erasing one-goal deficits with goals from forward Jason Robertson (2-0—2), the Stars lived to fight another day when forward Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) buried a one-timer from the left faceoff dot on the power play at the 3:18 mark of OT to send a sold-out crowd at American Airlines Center into a frenzy. Robertson’s two-goal performance marked his first career multi-goal playoff game, becoming the 10th player in Dallas Stars history with multiple goals in a game when facing elimination and the first since Corey Perry in Game 5 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Pavelski, meanwhile, scored his fourth career playoff overtime goal, tying Nicklas Backstrom and Patrice Bergeron for the second most among active players behind only Patrick Kane and Corey Perry (both with 5).
PP: 2-2 | PK: 1-1 | SF: 42 | SA: 39 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (30:00 – game high) | Attendance: 18,532
Three Stars: 1. DAL – J. Robertson 2. DAL – J. Pavelski 3. VGK – A. Hill
Game 5: May 27, 2023 – STARS 4 at GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2 | Vegas leads series 3-2
Facing yet another must-win scenario, the Stars came away with a 4-2 victory in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena. Led by forward Ty Dellandrea’s first career multi-goal game (2-0—2) and a 27-save performance from goaltender Jake Oettinger, the Stars have forced a Game 6 back on home ice with their highest goal output of the series. Dallas erased one-goal deficits on two separate occasions on goals from forwards Luke Glendening (1-0—1) and Jason Robertson (1- 0—1). Defenseman Thomas Harley (0-2—2) recorded his second multi-point performance of the playoffs with two assists, which marked his first points in the Western Conference Final. Forwards Max Domi (0-1—1), Joe Pavelski (0-1—1), Joel Kiviranta (0-1—1) and defenseman Ryan Suter (0-1—1) picked up assists.
PP: 0-0 | PK: 1-1 | SF: 29 | SA: 34 | DAL TOI: M. Heiskanen (25:33 – game high) | Attendance: 18,546
Three Stars: 1. DAL – T. Dellandrea 2. DAL – J. Robertson 3. VGK – C. Stephenson
DALLAS STARS POSTSEASON NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Stars are back on home ice for Game 6 after clawing their way back in their Western Conference Final showdown against the Vegas Golden Knights. (7 p.m. CT, ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS, Radio: The Ticket 96.7- FM/1310-AM). After dropping the first three games of the series, the Stars have won the past two, including a 4-2 victory on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Should Dallas win tonight, Game 7 will take place at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, May 31. (8 p.m. CT). This represents a rematch of the 2020 Western Conference Final, where the Stars earned a 4-1 series win en route to their first Stanley Cup Final in 20 years.
STARS-GOLDEN KNIGHTS PLAYOFF HISTORY
- This marks the second all-time meeting between the Stars and Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The previous matchup between the two clubs was in the 2020 Conference Finals, a series won in five games by Dallas, which saw the first instance in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) of a Conference Finals or Semifinals series opening with each team earning a shutout within the first two contests.
- The Western Conference Final represents the fourth instance in the past 25 years of head coaches, both in their first season with a team, meeting in the penultimate round of the playoffs. The last occurrence was also between Dallas and Vegas in 2020 (DAL: Rick Bowness; VGK: Pete DeBoer). The others: 2010 (PHI: Peter Laviolette; MTL: Jacques Martin) and 1998 (WSH: Ron Wilson; BUF: Lindy Ruff).
