The flurry of shots began with Tyler Seguin on a breakaway, bombarding Vegas goalie Adin Hill.
Hill denied Seguin, then blocked Evgenii Dadonov’s rebound before thwarting Seguin again, showcasing the form he displayed during last year’s Stanley Cup run. Thanks to his heroics, the Golden Knights kept their hopes of repeating alive by defeating the Dallas Stars 2-0, forcing a decisive Game 7 scheduled for Sunday in Dallas.
Recording 23 saves, Hill earned his first shutout since early November, with Noah Hanifin breaking the deadlock at 9:54 of the third period and Mark Stone sealing the victory with an empty-net goal from 176 feet away. Hanifin, acquired from Calgary at the trade deadline, scored the series-winning goal for the second time.
In a goaltending showdown reminiscent of his stellar playoff performance last year, Hill delivered under pressure after Logan Thompson started the series’ first four games. On the opposing end, Jake Oettinger’s solid performance was marred by Hanifin’s goal, ending his streak of 60 saves without conceding a goal in the third period or overtime of this series.
With Game 7 looming, statistical trends favor both sides: Vegas holds a 2-0 lead, a situation they’re undefeated in, while the Stars have never overcome such a deficit since moving to Dallas. However, Stars coach Pete DeBoer boasts an undefeated record of 7-0 in seventh games.
Amidst electric atmospheres created by celebrity appearances, the game unfolded with tension and missed opportunities on both sides. The Golden Knights dominated early, but Dallas managed to keep the game scoreless despite facing relentless pressure.
The second period saw no change in the scoreline, but it was far from uneventful. Hill’s acrobatic saves and Stone’s goal-line clearance kept the Knights in the game, while near misses by both teams kept the crowd on edge. Finally, Hanifin’s unassisted wrister from the right circle broke the deadlock, securing victory for the Golden Knights.
