Wyatt Johnston emerged as the hero of the night, securing the Dallas Stars’ 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime on Saturday, narrowing the series deficit to 2-1 against the defending champions.
In a dramatic overtime play, Johnston, who fired eight shots throughout the game, skillfully maneuvered down the left side toward the goal line. With goalie Logan Thompson positioned low, Johnston executed a high shot, sealing the win for the Stars 16:23 into the extra period.
Notably, Johnston’s impressive performance, marked by his career-high shots on goal, showcased his pivotal role as one of Dallas’ standout players in the game.
Contributing to the Stars’ success, Miro Heiskanen also found the back of the net, while Jake Oettinger’s stellar goaltending with 32 saves thwarted the Golden Knights’ offensive efforts. This victory marked a crucial breakthrough for Dallas, breaking their six-game losing streak against Vegas and setting the stage for a thrilling series comeback.
Despite an early lead secured by Johnston’s first-period goal, the Stars faced formidable opposition from the Golden Knights throughout the game. Brayden McNabb and Jack Eichel managed to level the score for Vegas, putting pressure on Dallas until the decisive overtime goal.
Looking ahead, Game 4 is set for Monday night in Las Vegas, promising another intense showdown between the two formidable teams.
“At some point, you have to get to your game,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It just took us too long. Now having said that, we weathered it because of Logan. He gave us every chance to get back in the game and we did. So once it was 2-2, then it was a little different. But they executed better than we did. You could see it in overtime. They had more jump, more urgency.”
