Knights post OT win over Stars in West finals opener
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[May 20, 2023]
When it came to picking the player most likely to score in
overtime in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, Brett Howden
probably would not have been at the top of the list for the Vegas
Golden Knights.
Just ask coach Bruce Cassidy.
"Raise your hand if you had Howden in your pool tonight in
overtime," Cassidy said at his postgame press conference. "You
probably went a different direction, right? So good for us. That's
why we've been able to win."
Howden, who had just six goals and seven assists in 54 games during
the regular season, scored 1:35 into overtime to give Vegas a 4-3
victory over the Dallas Stars on Friday night in Las Vegas.
Howden retrieved a puck behind the goal and then banked in a shot
off the back of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger's left leg and into
the net.
"I just tried throwing it in there," Howden said of his first career
overtime playoff goal. "Got lucky that it went in. I think Oettinger
put it in himself, so just trying to throw it in there and see what
would happens."
Cassidy added, "You're happy for Howie. Can't always be the stars,
right, or the guys that you would expect. And that's what's been
good about our team. Different people stepping up in key moments."
The Stars had tied the game when Jamie Benn scored with 1:59
remaining in regulation.
William Karlsson scored two goals, Teddy Blueger also scored and
Zach Whitecloud had two assists for Vegas. Golden Knights goalie
Adin Hill made 33 saves.
Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists, while Jason Robertson had
one of each for Dallas. Joe Pavelski added two assists, and
Oettinger also finished with 33 saves.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Sunday afternoon,
also in Las Vegas.
Dallas lost Game 1 in overtime for the third straight series. The
Stars fell 3-2 in double overtime in the first round against the
Minnesota Wild, then rebounded to win that series in six games. They
lost 5-4 in overtime to the Seattle Kraken to start the second round
before rallying to win that set in seven games.
"I think the good news is the other two (series) ended the right
way, so that's what we'll hope for," Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said.
"We've been a response team all year, particularly in the playoffs.
We'll regroup and be ready for Game 2."
Dallas took advantage of an odd bounce off the corner boards to take
a 1-0 lead at the 18:44 mark of the first period. A clearing pass
from behind the goal by Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo bounced
off the boards into the center of the left circle, where Hintz
picked it up. He threw a shot toward the goal that Robertson
redirected through Hill's pads.
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![](../images/052023PIX/sports57.jpg)
May 19, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA;
Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) skates in the
Dallas Stars zone during the second period in game one of the
Western Conference Finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at
T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY
Sports
![](../images/ads/current/graue_lda_4_2021.png)
Robertson notched his third goal of the playoffs
while snapping an eight-game goal drought.
The bad bounces evened out midway through the second period when
Karlsson tied it 1-1. Whitecloud blasted a shot from the right
point. The puck caromed off the end boards straight to Karlsson as
he was rushing past the left side of the goal. He whistled a wrist
shot into an open net.
Karlsson gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at the 1:19 mark of the third period
when he picked up a loose puck and fired a wrist shot from the high
slot through Oettinger's pads for his seventh goal of the playoffs.
The Golden Knights' lead didn't last long. Hintz took a crossing
pass from Pavelski in the left circle and then snapped a shot off
the near post and in at 4:01 of the middle period. It was Hintz's
10th goal of the postseason.
Blueger, who didn't play in the first nine playoff games for Vegas,
put the Golden Knights ahead 3-2 at the 9:20 mark of the third with
his first goal of the playoffs. He shoveled in a loose puck from the
crease after Keegan Kolesar, hit by Ryan Suter, crashed into
Oettinger on a drive to the net.
Dallas decided not to challenge for goaltender interference on the
play.
The Stars pulled Oettinger for an extra attacker, and Benn tied it
at 18:01 when he slid in a Pavelski back-heel kick pass under Hill's
left pad during a goal-mouth scramble. It was his third goal of the
playoffs. Hintz also got an assist, giving him a league-leading 22
points in the playoffs.
--Field Level Media
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