Golden Knights rally for 5-3 playoff win over Stars
Will Carrier scored the tiebreaker with 5:12 left in the game, Robin Lehner had 24 saves and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 in Western Conference round-robin play on Monday.
Carrier backhanded a rebounded shot through the legs of Stars goaltender Ben Bishop after the Knights rallied from a 3-1 third period deficit. Vegas scored three times in 5:02 to turn the game around, and added an empty-netter with 21 seconds left.
Chandler Stephenson, Mark Stone, Nate Schmidt and William Karlsson also scored for the Knights.
Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop (30) makes a save on Vegas Golden Knights' Reilly Smith (19) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Before the game at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, two players from each team knelt in support of Black Lives Matter and other social causes. Dallas forwards Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson knelt alongside Vegas forward Ryan Reaves and goaltender Robin Lehner during the American and Canadian national anthems.
Vegas picks up two points in this week's tournament to determine seeding in the next round of the playoffs.
Joe Pavelski, Jamie Oleksiak and Corey Perry scored for Dallas, and Bishop had 28 saves.
Vegas Golden Knights celebrate a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game against the Dallas Stars Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
The Knights got on the board with their first shot of the game. Stephenson, skating in place of the injured Max Pacioretty, moved into the slot and beat Bishop at the 1:04 mark.
The Stars rallied in the second period, scoring a pair of goals within 42 seconds. First, a Pavelski shot scooted under Lehner’s blocker off the skate of the Knights’ defenseman Alec Martinez at 7:50. Then Oleksiak rifled a shot past the goalie’s glove to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.
Dallas grabbed the 3-1 advantage when Perry’s wrist shot from the left point found the back of the net 12:42 into the second.
Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop (30) makes the save on Vegas Golden Knights' Alex Tuch (89) as Stars' John Klingberg (3) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Momentum shifted back to Vegas in the third, with the Knights scoring twice in 1:29 to tie the game, thanks to Stone and Schmidt, setting up Carrier's game-winner.
NOTES: Vegas was without leading scorer Max Pacioretty, who stayed behind to nurse a minor injury suffered in training camp. Chandler Stephenson skated in his place. ... Vegas is the fourth team in NHL history to make the playoffs in each of its first three seasons. ... This marks Dallas’ second consecutive trip to the postseason and the fourth over the past seven seasons. ... Stars coach Rick Bowness is the third bench boss in NHL history to hold a head coaching position in five different decades. ... Over the past two seasons, Stars' goaltenders have posted a league-leading 2.48 goals against average, allowing just 374 goals in 151 games in that span.
UP NEXT:
Dallas Stars' Stephen Johns (28) checks Vegas Golden Knights' Ryan Reaves (75) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Stars: Face Colorado in another round-robin game at at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
Golden Knights: Play St. Louis on Thursday in a round-robin game, time to be announced later.
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Dallas Stars' John Klingberg (3) is checked by Vegas Golden Knights' William Carrier (28) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop (30) makes the save on Vegas Golden Knights' William Carrier (28) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Dallas Stars' Radek Faksa (12) is checked by Vegas Golden Knights' Nick Cousins (21) during the third period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)
Dallas Stars' Radek Faksa (12) and Vegas Golden Knights' Nick Holden (22) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey playoff game Monday, Aug. 3, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason FransonThe Canadian Press via AP)