Vegas Owns Commanding 3-0 Series Lead vs. Stars

Good morning and happy Wednesday, May 24th.

You called it, as 65.22% of yesterday’s poll participants predicted the Golden Knights win. 🎰

Today’s lineup:

• 3️⃣ Vegas takes commanding 3-0 series lead

• ⛑️ Paul Maurice is confident Barkov will return from injury

• 💎 Our list of top 10 free agents we’ll be watching July 1st

• 👇 And a lot more

Adin Hill was a backup goalie last month. This month, he is on the verge of leading the Vegas Golden Knights into the Stanley Cup Final.

Hill made 34 saves for his first career playoff shutout to help the Golden Knights down the Dallas Stars 4-0 to claim a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference Final.

If Vegas wins Game 4 in Dallas Thursday, the Golden Knights earn the second Stanley Cup Final berth in the franchise’s short history.

Since taking over for the injured Laurent Brossoit, Hill is 6-1 with a 1.96 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. His career save percentage is .910.

Hill is on a five-game winning streak, and Brossoit had a five-game winning streak before being injured. Hill and Brossoit are the first goaltending teammates to boast postseason five-game streaks since Phil Myre and Pete Peeters did it for the Philadelphia Flyers in 1980.

The Golden Knights took command of the contest on goals by Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and William Carrier in the opening 7:10 of the game.

Those three tallies came on the Golden Knights’ first five shots and prompted Stars coach Pete DeBoer to pull starting goalie Jake Oettinger.

The Stars lost their captain Jamie Benn in the opening minutes of the game when he was ejected after receiving a five-minute major for cross-checking Vegas captain Mark Stone in the neck.

The Golden Knights said after the game that their ability to maintain their composure, choosing not to retaliate, was crucial to securing the win.

💎 There are some gems to be signed when NHL Free Agency officially opens up this year. July 1st is always a hot date in the hockey world as NHL free agents swarm to sign their next big contract. And this July 1st won’t disappoint as a number of All-Stars across all positions are set to choose their next uniform. Find the entire list of free agents (restricted and unrestricted) here, but here are our top 10 free agents, including their cap hit last year, that we can’t wait to see where they end up:

1. Patrick Kane, $10.5M

2. Ryan O’Reilly, $7.5M

3. Dmitry Orlov, $5.1M

4. Vladimir Tarasenko, $7.5M

5. Tyler Bertuzzi, $4.75M

6. Tristan Jarry, $3.5M

7. Max Pacioretty, $7M

8. Jonathan Quick, $5.8M

9. Matt Dumba, $6M

10. Semyon Varlamov, $5M

Who holds the NHL’s all-time record for most shutouts in one playoff year?

• Jack Eichel's seamless fit with Golden Knights has Cup in sight

• Maurice 'optimistic' Barkov returns to Panthers' lineup in Game 4

• Inside the Staal family drama at the Eastern Conference final

• Huberdeau needs to 'bring that swagger' next season, new Flames GM says

• Coyotes star Clayton Keller seeks clarity over club’s future in Arizona

• MetLife Stadium to host two outdoor games with Rangers, Isles, Devils, Flyers

• 2023 Draft prospect Carlsson confident he’s ready for NHL

• Senators fans show fatigue as ownership sale drags on, but the end is in sight

• U.S. beats Sweden in OT at ice hockey worlds

• Four finalists named for NHL Stick Tap For Service Program

• Minnesota 1-On-1 drill with Mike McShane

• 5 single leg plyometric drills to build explosiveness

TRIVIA ANSWER

Martin Brodeur holds the NHL’s all-time record for most shutouts in one playoff year, having collected 7 shutouts in the 2003 playoffs.