Stephenson OT Tally Puts Vegas Up 2-0 in WCF

Good morning and happy Monday, May 22nd.

Today’s lineup:

• Chandler Stephenson’s OT goal gives Vegas 2-0 series lead

• Matthew Tkachuk scores 2nd consecutive OT winner

• Kyle Dubas out as Leafs GM

• And a lot more…

The Vegas Golden Knights have been the Comeback Kings of the 2023 playoffs.

Coach Bruce Cassidy’s team tied the game on Jonathan Marchessault’s goal with 2:22 remaining in regulation and then Chandler Stephenson scored 1:12 into overtime to give the Golden Knights a 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.

It was the fourth consecutive comeback win by the Golden Knights who also did that in the 2021 NHL playoffs. It is the eighth time in these playoffs that the Golden Knights have overcome a deficit to win a game.

The Golden Knights are comfortable playing from behind: They have surrendered the first goal 10 times in this postseason and won seven of those games.

Vegas is the first team to hand Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger consecutive losses in this postseason.

The Golden Knights lead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, which now shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Tuesday.

Teams that have taken a 2-0 series lead in the round before the Stanley Cup Final have won that series 91% of the time.

The Stars, meanwhile, are 0-4 in overtime games in this postseason.

Nobody can complain about the competitiveness of the NHL’s conference finals. All four games thus far have gone to overtime. The NHL has never had the first four games in the conference finals go to OT. The four contests have featured 324:25 minutes of game time and all of it has been played with the games tied or with a one-goal deficit.

Stephenson’s OT tally could be considered an act of redemption. Cassidy was miffed at him earlier in the game for taking a slashing penalty and another minor for a retaliation cross check.

🚨 Matthew Tkachuk does it again, scores 2nd consecutive OT winner Saturday night to give the Panthers 2-0 series lead. The Panthers found themselves trailing just 1:43 into the game thanks to Jalen Chatfield’s first goal of the playoffs before Aleksander Barkov tied things up 7:43 into the second with a sweet fake between his legs with a backhand finish. Jesperi Kotkaniemi took a penalty 1:39 into overtime and the Panthers made him and the ‘Canes pay just 12 seconds later thanks to a sweet tic-tac-toe passing play started by Sam Bennett to Sam Reinhart to Matthew Tkachuk to the back of the net. The Panthers are 6-0 in overtime games this postseason, including 5-0 on the road.

Name the 4 players who are currently tied for the playoff lead with 3 game-winning-goals, as of this morning.

• Unflinching Stars appear vulnerable as Golden Knights snatch OT victory in Game 2

• Hurricanes not deviating from game plan ahead of Game 3

• Kyle Dubas out as Maple Leafs GM

• Why Flames got it right by choosing Conroy as next general manager

• Bettman to meet with Quenneville to review status once playoffs end

• CT Gov. making pitch to Bettman for Coyotes relocation to Hartford

• U.S. routs France 9-0 to stay perfect at ice hockey worlds

• Peterborough Petes win OHL championship after beating London Knights

• Quebec Remparts beat Halifax Mooseheads to capture QMJHL championship

• Seattle Thunderbirds defeat Winnipeg Ice to win WHL championship

• Pittsburgh Penguins power play drill

• Goalies: how to butterfly without sitting back

TRIVIA ANSWER

Matthew Tkachuck, Carter Verhaeghe, Chandler Stephenson, and Joe Pavelski are all currently tied with the league lead of 3 game-winning-goals.