Thrilling Finish at the American Airlines Center
In a thrilling finish at the American Airlines Center, the Vegas Golden Knights triumphed over the Dallas Stars 3-2 Sunday night, thwarting Dallas’s hopes of securing a playoff spot. The decisive moment came with just 3:38 remaining in the third period when Reilly Smith scored the go-ahead goal. The play unfolded when Mitch Marner’s shot from the high slot deflected off two Dallas defenders and set up Smith for a close-range finish past a stunned Casey DeSmith. This came after a lengthy stretch of over seven minutes without any stoppages in play.
Vegas Golden Knights’ Performance
Vegas had previously been struggling, losing three consecutive games and winning only three of their last nine outings before this matchup. Adin Hill, the Golden Knights’ goaltender, was solid, making 13 saves while his team outshot the Stars significantly, 33 to 15.
Dallas Stars’ Highlights
On the other side, Dallas had its bright spots, including Wyatt Johnston‘s historic power-play goal. With his 23rd power-play score, Johnston set a new franchise record, breaking the old mark which had stood since the team’s relocation to Dallas in the 1993-94 season. His achievement also surpassed Dino Ciccarelli‘s long-standing record for the Minnesota-Dallas franchise.
Dallas players struggled in the wake of their defeat, with Justin Hryckowian also contributing a goal, but DeSmith, while stopping 30 shots, couldn’t prevent a third loss in four games. The Stars are currently five points behind the Colorado Avalanche, who lead the Western Division and hold the best record in the NHL.
Game Summary
The scoring opened early in the first period when Brayden McNabb notched the first goal for Vegas, edging past two defenders to beat DeSmith. Johnston then found the net during a power play in the second period, marking his 38th goal of the season to give the Stars a brief lead after Hryckowian scored his 11th goal shortly thereafter. However, Ivan Barbashev tied the game for Vegas towards the end of the second period after Nils Lundkvist was penalized for slashing, capitalizing on a pass from Brett Howden from an acute angle.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Golden Knights will face the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, while the Stars will be hosting the New Jersey Devils on the same day.
