By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
A year after the Vegas Golden Knights ended their season in elation with a Stanley Cup championship they saw their repeat National Hockey League title efforts thwarted in a Game 7 in Dallas Sunday.
The Dallas Stars and Golden Knights were mirror images, playing airtight defense and opportunistic offense backed by solid goaltending.
In the end, a Stars’ backhander goal in the first minute of the third period proved to be the difference as the Dallas Stars moved on to play the Colorado Avalanche in Round 2 with a 2-1 Game 7 win.
“This was the biggest goal of my career,” Dallas forward Radek Faksa said after the game about his third period game/series-winner.
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After the VGK extended the close series to seven games with a 2-0 win at T-Mobile Arena two nights ago, Dallas and its former Vegas coach, nattily-dressed Pete DeBoer, sent the Knights back to Las Vegas knowing they will not win a second consecutive NHL title in 2024. DeBoer has won all eight of his Stanley Cup playoff Game 7s. The lawyer in the three-piece suit is 8-0 in Game 7s.
Wyatt Johnston, who won an overtime game in Vegas with a goal, beat VGK goalie Adin Hill to put the Stars up, 1-0, in the first period.
But in period two, unheralded winger MIchael Amadio fed linemate Brett Howden with a perfect pass for a tap-in goal by Howden and the two teams went into the second intermission tied at one apiece.
VGK center Jack Eichel made a nifty move and had the puck on his backhand with an aunguarded Dallas net late in period two.
But Eichel could not slip the puck into the cage as the puck hit the side of the goal.
That proved big because Dallas scored in the first minute of the third period on Faksa’s goal and the Stars had a 2-1 lead in period three.
Hill was pulled from goal with 1:50 left for an extra Vegas 6-on-5 attacker.
But Vegas could not extend the game into overtime.
DeBoer shook hands of many of his former players in the handshake line and pumped his fist as he walked off the ice.
VGK coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned there were nine players with surgeries, including two internal ones.
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