DALLAS — Pete DeBoer addressed the media Wednesday night after two playoff games in which he felt the top-seeded Dallas Stars played well, but the Stars still won by two in their first-round series against the Golden Knights. With 0 losses, they were at a disadvantage and the match moved on to the next match. Las Vegas.
“They're Stanley Cup champions. Everybody understands that,” a dejected DeBoer said after the 3-1 loss. “They understood everyone last year as well, so we’re not alone in that boat.”
The Stars started Wednesday night's game with the desperation you would expect from a team in this situation.
Dallas forward Mason Marchment delivered a hard hit to Zach Whitecloud in the back of the Las Vegas net in the opening minutes. Moments later, Jason Robertson violently circled Las Vegas captain Mark Stone and slammed him to the ice with a big reverse check. In total, the Stars had 24 hits in the opening game alone and 53 hits in the game.
The packed American Airlines Center crowd rocked the building, especially when Robertson gave the home team an early lead with a power-play goal.
None of that fazed the defending champions.
Vegas calmly absorbed the punishment, weathered the early storm and escaped the first period with a 1-1 tie. The Golden Knights then found their game and completely shut down the Stars' high-powered offense, earning a 3-1 victory and returning to Las Vegas with a commanding 2-0 series lead.
“When you win your first game on the road and you're feeling good, and all of a sudden they start punching you in the mouth a little bit, that happens a lot, so it's time to go,” Las Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. Told. I said it later. “We responded well to it.”
After scoring an impressive 113 points in the regular season, the Stars entered the playoffs as one of the favorites. They are one of the most complete teams in the league, with four lines of forwards that are legitimate scoring threats, world-class defensemen, and a stud goaltender.
The stars aren't suffocating. In fact, I believe they played relatively well in the first two games of the first round series. Nevertheless, they find themselves in a 2-0 hole with him heading into one of the toughest venues to play in the NHL.
Dating back to last year's Western Conference Finals, the Golden Knights have defeated the Stars in five straight games and have won nine of their last 11 games. At this point, Dallas players seem to be at a loss for answers.
“We played good enough to win the game, but we just couldn't do it,” Stars forward Jamie Benn said. “Maybe we're hitting too much. Maybe we need to go after the puck more. I don't know. Maybe we're frustrated with last year and how good they were, especially at five-on-five. Maybe he knew who the team was.”
Perhaps the most disappointing thing about the start of the first round series for the Stars was the fact that they played well.
“I loved the first period,” DeBoer said. “We made one mistake at the end of the first game. (We) probably deserved it to happen. That was probably the key point of the game. Wrong guy hit us at the wrong time. You get in behind and that's what they do. They make you pay. You come out of the first game having a great period and have nothing to show for it. .”
Las Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev stole the puck and found Jack Eichel with a long stretch pass near the end of the opening frame. Eichel drives to the net with Stars defenseman Ryan Suter on his back, pulls goaltender Jake Oettinger to his left, and flips the puck onto the grain to Jonathan Marchessault, who hits it. He pushed it into the wide open net.
Dynamic Duo 🎰📣 pic.twitter.com/3XyhJ99wgF
— x-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 25, 2024
“We went into the break 1-1 and I know we weren’t at our best, but we made it through,” Cassidy said. “Now it’s like, ‘Okay, let’s build the game and get to the game,’ and I think that’s what happened.”
Dallas took 11 shots in the opening half and created five dangerous chances, but only made 10 shots in the final 40 minutes. The third-ranked offense, which averaged 3.59 goals per game during the regular season, was completely pacified by the Golden Knights' solid defense. While he held a one-point lead in the third period, Las Vegas did not allow a single shot on goal in his final five minutes of the game. It was a defensive clinic eerily similar to Monday's Game 1. Needing a goal late, Dallas only created four dangerous chances in the third period through both games.
“They were physical, and I think that suited our style of play well,” said Las Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin, who scored the winning goal. “We're a big team, so we're capable of those types of games. I think we were able to handle it and were really prepared. We created plays and everyone was out there talking and communicating. Ta.”
It's been a shocking start to the postseason for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference as they cruise through the winless road, but this isn't the typical wild-card team the Stars will face. These are the defending champions and are healthy at exactly the right time of year. The Golden Knights used the cap space freed by Stone's placement on long-term injured reserve with a torn spleen to add Hanifin, Tomas Hertl and Anthony Mantha on loan, adding depth at every position. is thick.
Las Vegas has faced a lot of criticism for its use of LTIR space and the timing of Stone's return for a second consecutive year. They're not the first team to use LTIR to their advantage, and considering it's within the current rules, it probably won't be the last.
The result is an incredibly well-rounded roster with a wealth of experience playing at the top of the postseason.
Eichel will lead a talented center group. Hertl has already made his presence felt, playing the heavy style of hockey that is popular during this time. William Karlsson is one of the best lockdown centers in the NHL, and Nicolas Roy is a big, strong fourth-line centerman with the skill to finish at the net.
They also have a strong wing, with Stone, Barbashev, Chandler Stevenson and Marchessault, last year's Conn Smythe winner and this year's leading scorer. The defense has a great lineup of players including Alex Pietrangelo, Hanifin, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and Whitecloud.
In goal, Logan Thompson played well in the first two games of playoff hockey. He made a crucial save late in the second period, tucking Wyatt Johnston's drive into the net with his left pad to keep it 1-1. Moments later, Hanifin gave Vegas the lead. Waiting on the wing is Adin Hill, who played backstop in last year's cup competition.
“Johnston shoots near the net, pad save!”
“Left-footed Logan Thompson!”
Thompson denied Wyatt Johnston was evenly matched in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/09wVenb5sh
— Golden Knights Radio (@VGKRadioNetwork) April 25, 2024
“There's a reason they're a very good hockey club,” DeBoer said. “If you look at the whole lineup, including scratches, I think they have a deeper roster than last year.”
A good example of this depth is when he replaced injured defenseman Nicola Haig towards the end of the first game. Three-time Cup winner Alec Martinez joins the team and played in every playoff game last year, scoring a goal. He came on as a substitute on Wednesday and the group didn't miss a beat.
Dallas outscored Las Vegas in each of the first two games, but small details cost the Stars. A momentary lapse in concentration cost them the lead at the end of the first period and completely changed the course of the game. It's the attention to detail that has helped the Golden Knights make it to the playoffs several times.
“We understand what it takes to win in this league,” Cassidy said. “We've been through this time of year. We can't slack off. We can't relax. We have to be constantly on guard and trying to attack.
“I think our players really grew through last year's run. I wasn't here the year before, so I can't speak to what happened in the previous run, but what was said on the bench. I like our professional approach.”
There's a reason the Stars won the West Division in the regular season. They were one of the few teams to rank in the top 10 in both points and goals scored. They had the second-most points in franchise history, behind only the 1998-99 team that won the Cup. Eight players scored at least 20 points, and nine players scored 50 or more points. This team is really good.
The Stars lost 3-0 to Vegas in last year's conference finals, but won two straight to advance to the series and were eliminated in Game 6. They also have the best road record in the NHL this season, so hope is not lost.
“You can't feel sorry for yourself,” DeBoer said. “I like a lot of what we're doing. We've got to find an extra goal or two every night at 5-on-5 and find a way to defend one more goal at 5-on-5. .”
Still, playing like Dallas when you're down 2-0 in the series is frustrating, and it shows.
Stars forward Tyler Seguin said this when asked how he and his teammates can overcome this loss heading into Las Vegas. Do what you have to do. I don't know. “
(Photo: Jerome Miron/USA Today)
