After taking down Dallas in the 2023 Western Conference final, the Vegas Golden Knights have continued their success against the Stars this season.
Amid a six-game point streak, the visiting Knights look to complete a three-game season series sweep of the Stars on Saturday.
Vegas won the first three games against Dallas in the playoffs last season, and eventually needed six to capture the series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final it went on to win. Fast forward to this season, and the Golden Knights have posted a pair of tight victories over the Stars — 3-2 in a shootout at home on Oct. 17 and 2-1 in overtime at Dallas on Nov. 22.
Currently, the Golden Knights sit atop the West standings, six points ahead of Dallas, which is amid a tight race in the Central Division. Vegas overcame a 3-1 first-period hole to score five unanswered goals for a 6-3 victory at St. Louis on Wednesday, and improved to 3-0-3 in the last six.
“I think the structure has been there all year. It has allowed us to stay in games,” Golden Knights forward Mark Stone said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Stone has four points in the last five games
Vegas’ Jack Eichel scored in his fourth straight game, and added an assist Wednesday, to give him 10 points in the last five contests. He netted the winner 1:57 into overtime at Dallas last month.
Since that defeat to the Golden Knights, the Stars are 3-3-2. Dallas avoided being swept on its recent three-game trip by rallying for a 5-4 shootout victory at Washington on Thursday. The Stars trailed 3-1 early in the second period but fought their way back to prevail behind two goals from Roope Hintz.
“We have no panic in here,” said Dallas’ Matt Duchene, who recorded an assist in his 1,000th career game Thursday.
“It doesn’t really matter what we get down. We’re a very even-keeled, mature veteran group. … We just had to pick it up, start playing our game.”
Perhaps that comeback will help the Stars string some victories together. They haven’t won back-to-back contests since a four-game winning streak from Nov. 9-14.
Hintz also looks to get going after recording just his fourth and fifth points in the last seven games on Thursday. He has a goal with an assist against the Golden Knights this season.
Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (2.67 goals-against average) has stopped 56 of 60 shots in two games versus Vegas this season. However, he’s yielded nine goals while losing his last two starts overall.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights’ Adin Hill, who ranks among the NHL leaders in goals-against average (1.84), save percentage (.933) and win percentage (.786), has saved 55 of the 58 shots he’s faced in those two games versus Dallas.
Vegas’ Logan Thompson, who owns a 2.38 GAA in 14 appearances this season, has stopped 72 of 78 shots while going 2-0-1 as a starter this month.
Dallas’ Jason Robertson recorded a pair of assists on Thursday to increase his team lead to 16. He has an assist for his only point in this season’s two meetings with Vegas.
–Field Level Media
