(Photo Credit: Ken Boehlke, SinBin.vegas)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. No team in NHL history has come back from an 0-3 conference finals deficit. The downward-spiraling Dallas Stars will try and begin a historic run tonight with a win in Game 4. Win or lose, in all likelihood the Golden Knights have done enough to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. It’s just a matter of when.
So, what should the Golden Knights expect from a Stars team that the record books have shown they have nothing to play for?
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That’s the approach we’re going to take with the rest of the series. We’re not going to get back in the series tomorrow night, but we’ll take a bite and see what happens. – Pete DeBoer, DAL coach
As former NHL goaltender Mike McKenna reminds us weekly; hockey players have a lot of pride. So, of course the Stars have something to play for but it’s unlikely to be for the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. It’s hard to believe Dallas’ locker room, coaching staff and fanbase have any confidence in a four-game win streak but a victory in Game 4 would give them some sense of false hope. Even if Dallas can return home for a desperate Game 6, history is still heavily against them.
Assuming Vegas comes out as sharp as they have all series, the home team will be up against it from the opening puck drop. The Golden Knights will be hungry to sweep the series and earn as much rest as the Eastern Conference champions Florida Panthers. Dallas will be down two impact forwards but it’s not the focus around the locker room. The Stars are taking a simple approach into tomorrow’s elimination game.
We’re just worried about trying to get our first win in this series. That’s all that matters. We’re going to have to play desperate hockey now. Our lives are at stake here and I’m looking forward to it. This group has answered when our backs are against the wall. We’re going to find a way to muster up a good 60 minutes and find a way to beat a really good team. We’re going to have a hungry team tomorrow – Max Domi, DAL forward
Forwards Max Domi, Jason Robertson and Tyler Seguin understand the hole they are in. All three are optimistic but aren’t overlooking their challenging opponent. Vegas has exceptionally executed their game plan all series long and have kept their emotions in check. The Golden Knights have been the much more structured through three games, but the Stars, down three games, still believe there isn’t a giant gap between the two clubs.
I honestly think the margins are really slim. Game 1 we didn’t play great but found ourselves in overtime. Game 2, we played a great game leading with a minute left, we lose in overtime. That’s how quickly these series change. You find a way to win one of those overtime games, it turns that quickly. We just got to find a way to win a game tomorrow. -DeBoer
Tonight’s game could come down to the opening goal. In Game’s 1 & 2 in Las Vegas, the Stars scored first but the outcome didn’t go their way in either game. The Golden Knights answered first on Tuesday in Dallas and were rewarded with a dominant 4-0 performance.
Vegas is feeling it right now, and Dallas can detect it.
You look at Vegas. They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now because they’re capitalizing on chances, they’re bearing down. That’s all it takes. It can be as simple as one shift. We’ve done it all year. We’ve responded all year. -Domi
The Stars have said all the right things going into tonight’s Game 4. It’s possible Jamie Benn’s two-game suspension galvanized Dallas’ locker room and they end up forcing a return trip to Southern Nevada. However, the Golden Knights have also said the right things and they’ve been winning. History may have them advancing but they’ll only acknowledge that until the take a picture around a silver bowl that nobody will touch.
Richie-Rich
It’s disgusting to hear Max Domi being the voice of the Stars after his crosscheck boarding on Hague and subsequent laugher of a so-called hockey “fight”. It was like watching an elf (an ugly one with no front teeth) taking on a giant. Jamie Benn also had another season ending cross check to the back of Detroit’s Larkin some time ago. He’s a dirty hockey player and it’s a disgrace to the NHL and the Stars organization for him to be wearing the “C”.
Stars are bringing up a couple of AHL Stars as to fill the spots of Benn and Dadanov.
I am sure there will be some adjustments based on the absence of Benn and Dadanov, but I wouldn’t expect much tweaking. If the VGK just plays their game they will get the sweep tonight.
It will be interesting to see how the fans react to game 4 after that disgraceful performance in game 3.
Game 4 isn’t about the Stars or its fans. It’s all about the mental attitude and focus on the Golden Knights to come out and block out all of that noise. If the Golden Knights come out underestimating the Stars they will find themselves in a deep hole that they might not get out of.
On the other hand, beating them on our Home ice would be almost as nice as a sweep. A sweep will really set the stage for the series with the Panthers at a high level. The VGK will have home ice advantage in that Stanley Cup Final series.
TS
Rr, it’d be really rewarding to win our 4th at home, for a DESERVED Vegas celebration,, but Dallas needs to be SHUT DOWN tonight. We cannot give the Stars ANY hope. NONE. I’m rooting for a SWEEP!!!! GIVE EM HELL TONIGHT!!
Frank
Get it over with tonight. VGK has all of the momentum. We just need to play our game and stay on them. I feel like we should win tonight…. don’t let the Stars up off the mat!
Larry
Vgk just needs to try and play tonight as if their backs are against the wall…never want to give an opponent any life or momentum no matter how short lived it might be..play smart.. play aggressive…play vgk hockey and let those Vegas chips fall where they may.. Go Knights Go!!
John W
Jason going a bit too far posting that the Stars are “saying all the right things”.
Benn and Domi are both offering pathetic and laughable excuses for their thuggish behavior, which hardly qualifies as the above.
Florida will be the next team to learn the lesson – target our guys, specifically Stone, and besides showing yourself to be a loser, you motivate the VGK.
Carl
The boys need to be on guard against crazy-ass Mad Max Domi, who is a helluva a hockey player but thinks he’s a goon like his dad was. An emotionally unstable dude like that may try to hurt one of our key guys in return for the hockey ass-whipping Dallas is getting.
Howard
“You’re the ugliest and most overpaid guy in The NHL”
Mark Stone chirping the above in a back-and-forth with Domi at end of game 3 from their benches.
Jailbird
No matter what the Stars say, score early on them and it’s over! Get a two or more goal lead and the fishing boat will be dancing in their heads! Go get this one over so we can then talk about the finals matchup. Which will be an interesting conversation and series! Go get them boys!
Jake
Hopefully they offer a total collapse tonight, offering salt in the wound of the cheap shot artist/liar Benn.
I am thinking Vegas will come out burning within their system wanting to make amends for Captain Stone’s assault by Benn.
Didn’t Dallas fans thrown garbage on the officials following a Cowboys collapse that they blamed on the officials? LOL
As Shannon Sharp said, “The fans should have been throwing the garbage on you Dak Prescott, you are the one to blame, you sucked.”
Hopefully the Stars fans will throw garbage again, on their leaderless, lifeless collection of garbage.
hdbiker7851
Based on what’s been going on I am a little concerned about what Dallas may do. I would hope, but am not optimistic, they will stick to playing professional hockey and not allow their goon squad mentality to override their better judgement. Maybe that’s asking a lot but I sure hope that’s the case. I would hate to see any VGK player hurt because they are simply playing better hockey that what Dallas is capable of at this time. While it would be nice to see them take the series at home, I would rather see them stick it to Dallas on their home ice and get it over with. Here’s to a win tonight. Put Dallas and their fans out of their misery.
knights fan in minny
where are you satan do you have anymore made up posts posing as someone else you nut job
Jailbird
I guess I missed the evidence that he is “posing as someone else”? And why provoke him anyway.
knights fan in minny
go back to the golden knights style article look under damion satan is a fraud
knights fan in minny
the cheap shots are down 2 forwads stomp them and end there season
former season ticket holder
Not sure if this was pointed out but Deja -vu all over again if Vegas wins tonight. 2017 /18 playoffs were a sweep, a 2 game loses, a gentlemen’s sweep
2022 / 2023 will be a gentlemen’s sweep, a 2 game loses, and a sweep
Both 12 w 3lL headed into the Cup final
Daimon Hellstrom
Hdbiker, I’m with you on your comments. I do think Dallas won’t be gooning it up quite as much since Jamie Benn can’t play, and Max Domi may not want to re-introduce himself to Nic Hague.
Jailbird, I can’t wait until Dallas is dispatched, and the sooner the better.
Former season ticket holder, great minds, think alike (lol) and I was thinking the same thing. I guess they were actually 13-3 because they beat Washington in game one of the finals.
As for Knights fan in minny, if he has a problem with my screen name then honestly he can go fuck himself because I have not said anything to him or directed any comments towards him. I am here to talk VGK hockey. Since when did Republicans get offended so easily. Is he trying to have me canceled?
knights fan in minny
not trying to get you cancelled calling you out for the fraud you are so go fuck yourself you piece of shit fraud loser
Daimon Hellstrom
I’m not trying to sound overly confident or be an arrogant VGK fan, but I do believe that after they knocked out Edmonton that the Stanley Cup is ours. Obviously have to finish the job in Dallas. I respect the Florida Panthers greatly and take what Bobrovsky and Tkachuk are doing very seriously.
If I had one fear, it would be the lack of healthy goaltending depth in the event that Hill was injured. Wondering if tonight was an opportunity to get Jonathan Quick a start and keep Adin Hill fresh.
It almost seems like they think that putting Quick in would guarantee them a loss.
Go Knights Go
TS
IDK, Damian, about putting Quick in now.
” If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Won’t the team have a decent break B4 the CUP round starts? Hill will get to rest some then. ” If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!”
knights fan in minny
i believe the cup would start may 31 if the boys win tonight
Daimon Hellstrom
TS, I think you are right and they know what they are doing. I’m just overthinking it.
knights fan in minny
you mean over frauding
Rob S.
Can someone explain to me why we run F-ing McNabb out there for 20:00 a night game after game after game? How many times is this that he has provided a major screwup in the first period of a playoff game? And don’t start with “how consistent” he is. He consistently sucks. We have three D-men–Hutton, Miromanov, and Pachal–that don’t get to play much who either are better than he is (Hutton) or would be with a little work (the other two).
How many more years are we going to have to watch this? (I know, two because, unbelievably we RE-SIGNED him for three freaking years last off-season.) He is slow, he can’t skate, and he makes poor decisions slowly. I would really like a tutorial on why the VGK brain trust think he’s an NHL-level talent.
Rob S.
How ’bout that f-ing McNabb? A good argument could be made that he single-handedly lost that game. (And that’s saying something since nobody other than Hill, Marchessault, and Karlsson showed up tonight.)
Jim
totally and completely agree. been sayin’ it since he allowed 4th liner Barclay Goodrow to skate right around him in OT and cost the Vgk the game, series and season in game 7 vs SJ in season 2.
yeah, he occasionally does some good things, but, he is the biggest blunder boy on the team in crucial and clutch situations.
Martinez had a bad game as well tonight.
Rob S.
Yes, he and Pietrangelo both were not good.