NHL Western Conference Finals playoff game Dallas-Vegas, May 23, 2023. Vegas goaltender Adin Hill (left), Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (right) and Dallas forward Radek Faksa (second from right).
Dallas – The Vegas hockey players won 4-0 in Dallas, lead the series 3-0 and are one win away from the second NHL final in the club's six-year history. The Golden Knights were winning by three goals as early as 7:10, and home captain Jamie Benn was ejected after 113 seconds of the game for a foul with five minutes to go. The first star was visiting goalkeeper Adin Hill, who stopped 34 shots, including four attempts by Radek Faksa.
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Both previous semifinals went to overtime, this time Vegas decided in the opening. The score was opened in the second minute by Jason Marchessault, who finished from the left circle after a pass from Jack Eichel into the open goal.
In 42 seconds, home team Benn weakened. After a collision between the captains, Mark Stone fell in the middle zone and Benn crosed him in the neck area while lying down. He is also at risk of suspension for the procedure.
“I don't think anybody in the room feels worse than him,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said. “He's been a leader his whole career and sets an example for everyone every day on and off the ice. Now he made a mistake, he feels bad about it. Fortunately, Mark Stone is fine and we have to live with the consequences that put us in a difficult situation. But I'm not going to pillory him, that would not bring anything good,” he added.
The Vegas players added a second goal on a long power play, scored by Ivan Barbashev on a three-on-two count. In the eighth minute, William Carrier increased the score with a backhand, and Jake Oettinger left a place in the goal area to Scott Wedgewood. In the rest of the match, he only conceded from the stick of Alex Pietrangelo, who made a breakthrough in the 29th minute in a power play with a shot from the blue line.
“We were upset when we saw what they did to our captain. But we punished them the right way and increased our lead. That's how we were set up,” said Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy.
But the second goal was preceded by a turnover. , from which Dallas could equalize. “It didn't go unnoticed that Adin Hill made a key save in a two-on-one break. We went up on the counterattack. Those fifteen seconds had a big impact on the development of the game,” noted the Vegas coach.
Dallas striker Max Domi also received a higher penalty at the end of the second period. The target of his intervention was Nicolas Hague, and the referees excluded him, as well as Benna, for five minutes and until the end of the match. The home fans then threw plastic bottles and other objects onto the ice, so the referees sent both teams to the booths and the remaining 21 seconds were played before the start of the third period.
“I had no reason to get involved in any kind of fight,” said Hague, who crossed the ice with a smile as the smaller Domi grabbed his head. “We manage to frustrate their players. It's not just one defensive pair or line that does it. There are certain games when some meet on the ice more often, but above all we defend the middle zone very well as a team. It frustrates other teams. We also play with dedication and keep us Hill,” added Pietrangelo.
Jevgenij Dadonov resigned for the home team in the opening third, so they finished with nine classic attackers. That's why Faksa played eighteen minutes, a third of that time in a weakened state, and he was one of the most active players with four shots. “We need to catch up at some point. But the main thing is that all four lines step on, as it has been all year. Then the goals will come and the chances of winning will increase,” he added.
Finals of the Western Conference NHL playoffs – 3rd match:
Dallas – Vegas 0:4 (0:3, 0:1, 0:0)
Goals: 2. Marchessault, 6. Barbashev, 8. Carrier, 29. Pietrangelo. Shots on goal: 34:16. Spectators: 18,532. Stars of the match: 1. Hill, 2. Barbashev, 3. Pietrangelo (all Vegas). Series status: 0:3.
