Resilient Dallas Forces Game 6 After ‘Gutsy Win’: Stars Score Twice In Third Period To Break Tie For 4-2 Win Before 18,546 In Las Vegas Saturday
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Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
They’re squeezing every ounce of effort out of every shift, with bodies flying all around.
It was Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, with the Knights trying to close the deal and clinch the series while Dallas is playing desperate hockey to stay alive in the Best-of-7 WCF.
In the end, Dallas outlasted Vegas, 4-2, with two goals in the third period by Ty Dellandrea to snap a 2-2 tie after two periods and force a Game 6 in Dallas.
“Next man up,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “Gutsy win.”
I like our group. I wouldn’t bet against them. — Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer
Meanwhile, VGK coach Bruce Cassidy, who replaced DeBoer after he was fired by the Golden Knights following last season, lamented the 24 giveaways committed by Vegas. Cassidy made a crack that you’re not going to beat the Arizona Coyotes in January when turning the puck over 24 times.
Cassidy also noted that Hill, who has played superbly in the playoffs after replacing an injured Laurent Brossoit in net for the VGK, let in a weak goal off a shot by Dellandrea that broke the 2-2 tie in the third period.
Every time the Golden Knights scored, Dallas wasted hardly any time responding with the tying goal.
In period one, the Knights’ Ivan Barbashev made a nice move to skate in front of Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger and he put the puck past the goalie after linemate Jack Eichel had occupied two Stars players and won a puck battle to set up Barbashev’s goal.
But about two minutes later, Dallas fourth-liner Luke Glendening tipped home a goal and the Stars sustained pressure against VGK goalie Adin Hill before the first 20 minutes melted away.
It was 1-1 after one period.
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Just like in Game 4 in Dallas, the Knights seized a 2-1 lead in period two.
But the Knights could not bury Dallas after Chandler Stephenson’s goal.
The Stars came right back to tie the game at two apiece following a score by Jason Robertson, who flipped the puck over Hill’s shoulder and into the net.
The game was tied at two after two periods.
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Both Hill and Oettingee traded spectacular saves early in the third period before Dellandrea skated down the right side with the puck and shot it past Hill.
He followed that score with another goal.
And Dallas had outworked Vegas for the 4-2 win.
“A lot of desperation,” Dellandrea said after the game.
“Shows the character we have in the room,” Oettinger said in his postgame presser.
