Starting with Tyler Seguin on a breakaway, the shots kept coming at Vegas goalie Adin Hill one after another. He blocked Seguin’s close-range attempt, denied Joe Pavelski’s follow-up shot, and then thwarted Seguin once more.
This performance harked back to Hill’s stellar play during last year’s Stanley Cup victory, and thanks to him, the Golden Knights stayed in contention for a repeat by defeating the Dallas Stars 2-0 on Friday night, forcing a Game 7.
“You need to come up with big saves in crucial moments of important games,” Hill remarked. “That’s how you win playoff matches. Our team learned that lesson last year, and it’s a common theme among winning teams that their goalkeepers step up when needed.”
The decisive Game 7 of this first-round series is scheduled for Sunday in Dallas.
Hill made 23 saves for his first shutout since recording two in three games back in early November. Noah Hanifin broke the deadlock at 9:54 of the third period, and Mark Stone secured the win with an empty-net goal from 176 feet away with just 18.9 seconds remaining.
This marks Hanifin’s second game-winning goal in this series, following his acquisition from Calgary at the trade deadline.
“Since joining this team through the trade, I’ve been extremely excited about the opportunity to play with a group of winners,” Hanifin expressed. “There’s a fantastic culture here, and I’m grateful to be part of it. I feel confident about my performance, and I’m doing my best to contribute in any way I can.”
It was a classic showdown between goalkeepers, with Hill resembling the player who had an impressive record last year in the playoffs. Despite his inconsistent performance towards the end of this season, Hill took charge in Game 5 and continued his strong play in this game.
“Towards the end of the season, Adin was feeling confident about this game,” noted Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “You could see it in practice. He should have confidence. He just pitched a shutout and made some really impressive saves.”
On the opposing end, Jake Oettinger made 28 saves and had not conceded a goal in the third period or overtime of this series until Hanifin’s goal put an end to his streak.
“I would’ve liked to have kept a clean sheet tonight, but now that we’re in this situation, that’s why we performed well during the regular season to secure Game 7 at home if needed,” said Oettinger. “The ball’s in our court. We’re on home ice, and now it’s up to us to get the job done.”
Both teams have statistics in their favor heading into Game 7.
Vegas secured a 2-0 lead in this series, and when they achieve such an advantage, they usually win. On the other hand, the Stars have never managed to bounce back from such a deficit in their nine previous attempts since relocating to Dallas. In general, NHL teams have a strong record of 351-55 when they lead a series 2-0.
However, the Stars have an impressive record when it comes to seventh games, as their coach Pete DeBoer has never lost in such a scenario, boasting a perfect 7-0 record.
“There’s nothing quite like Game 7s,” DeBoer expressed. “That’s what you always dreamed of playing, and coaching in them is the next best thing.”
The game started with high intensity, with both teams missing key scoring opportunities as tension mounted. The Golden Knights added to the excitement with pre-game festivities, including Shania Twain sounding the horn and Jeopardy star James Holzhauer doing the honors before the third period.
As expected, the Golden Knights came out strong, dominating the Stars’ offensive zone early on. Although Dallas didn’t register their first shot on goal until almost eight minutes into the game, the Knights couldn’t capitalize on several chances, including one from Nicolas Roy and another from Keegan Kolesar that hit the post.
The score remained tied at 0-0 after the second period, despite plenty of action. Adin Hill made three remarkable saves in one sequence, and Mark Stone cleared the puck from the goal line to keep Vegas in the game.
Both teams had close calls, with Logan Stankoven missing an open net for the Stars and Jonathan Marchessault’s shot causing confusion among fans.
Finally, Noah Hanifin broke the deadlock with an unassisted shot from the right circle.
