The Dallas Stars lost their second straight overtime game to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. The Stars lost 3-2 and were sent to their first 0-2 series hole of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Stars defenseman Ryan Suter had possession behind the net when Golden Knights center Jack Eichel came from behind and stole possession. Eichel played a give-and-go pass up the wall to Ivan Barbashev before Eichel shoveled a no-look, backhanded pass to Jonathan Marchessault. Marchessault beat Suter in coverage in the low slot for a shot he lifted above Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger’s glove for a 2-2 tie with 2:22 left in the third. Marchessault’s goal sent the game to overtime where Chandler Stephenson netted the winning goal 44 seconds later.
The Impact of Mistakes and Line Changes
The Stars cleared the puck out of their defensive zone but were caught in the midst of a line change that gave the Golden Knights a 4-on-3 advantage. From there, Mark Stone passed it to Shea Theodore, who fired a shot on net that Oettinger initially saved before Stephenson collected the rebound for the winner. Stars coach Pete DeBoer acknowledged that the team’s line changes had been poor in the series. He said, “It’s a game of mistakes. They make a mistake, leave Johnston wide open in front of the net in overtime, too. It’s just they stuck it in.” Both DeBoer and Suter spoke about what went wrong on Marchessault’s goal that allowed the Golden Knights to get back into the game. Suter admitted that it was not the right play and that they needed to talk about it as a team. DeBoer was impressed with Eichel’s world-class pass but refused to assign blame, emphasizing that mistakes happen, and the Golden Knights capitalized.
Overtime Struggles and Changes in Play
The Stars have struggled in overtime this postseason, and Stephenson’s winning goal condemned them to an 0-4 record in the extra frame. Despite the loss, DeBoer was pleased with the Stars’ effort in Game 2, stating that they looked sharper than they did in the opener. The Stars limited the Golden Knights to a combined 10 shots through the first two periods, but the Golden Knights started gaining control of the puck in the third period. They had a 63.45 shot share, which explains how they were able to break through for 12 shots in the third period despite not having any power-play chances. DeBoer stressed the importance of finding solutions to their overtime struggles after Game 1, and the Stars are still trying to solve the equation.
The Dallas Stars are facing an unfamiliar situation after losing their second straight overtime game to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars were sent to their first 0-2 series hole of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The tying goal by Marchessault was a turning point in the game, and the Stars were caught in the midst of a line change that gave the Golden Knights a 4-on-3 advantage, leading to the winning goal by Stephenson. The Stars have struggled in overtime this postseason, and DeBoer stressed the importance of finding solutions to their struggles. The Golden Knights started gaining control of the puck in the third period, and the Stars will need to find ways to stop them in Game 3.
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