Two of the NHL’s heavyweights have been matched up within the first spherical of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, and the sequence between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights has been probably the most spectacular of the bracket to date.
To nobody’s shock, the 2 golf equipment have reached Game 7 (7:30 p.m. ET, TBS), with a matchup towards the Colorado Avalanche ready for the victor.
Which players will likely be most crucial to their staff’s success? And who will win the sport?
Who is the one key participant you will be awaiting the Stars?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Jake Oettinger. The greatest query going through Oettinger at this second is: What extra does this man want to do to assist the Stars attain the second spherical? The reply is perhaps a shutout, given the tight margins of this sequence.
His lowest save share since Game 1 has been .920, and that got here in that 3-1 loss in Game 2. But since then, Oettinger has posted an general save share of .944, together with a .960 in a Game 6 loss. Getting objectives from depth parts of the lineup will definitely assist his trigger, however the truth that he almost actually has to be good says a lot a few sequence that is been separated by so little.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Oettinger. The Stars’ beginning netminder, after permitting one objective on 29 photographs in Friday’s Game 6 loss: “I feel like [if] I play like that on Sunday, we’re going to win.”
Hard to argue! Growing sharper recreation by recreation towards Vegas, Oettinger seems primed to put in his stingiest efficiency but. If so, he is seemingly proper about Dallas escaping this final sequence throwdown with the victory.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Jason Robertson. He wants a powerful Game 7 for Dallas to pull it out. He’s been scoring — three objectives and two assists in six video games — however he is additionally minus-4. In Game 3 he related nicely with rising scorer Wyatt Johnston — together with on the time beyond regulation winner.
These are the video games for which superstars should stand up. Robo had 18 factors in 19 playoff video games final season. I’m on the lookout for him to present up and present out in Game 7.
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Roope Hintz. It’s laborious to fathom Hintz has scored only one objective within the postseason, and has regarded removed from the difference-making middle he’d been all through the common season. There is not any time like the current for Hintz to discover his type.
Given how Hintz’s total line with Joe Pavelski and Robertson has struggled at instances within the sequence, it will not be a singular effort from Hintz placing them again on observe. But after watching Game 6 and seeing how rapidly Vegas can leap on an opponent, it is now or by no means for Hintz to match the Golden Knights’ depth. If he helps set a tone there, it’d elevate his linemates and put the Stars on a successful trajectory towards the second spherical.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Joe Pavelski. I notice Pavs is 39 years previous. I notice that he has gone scoreless on this sequence — he hasn’t scored towards Vegas prior to now seven playoff video games general — and is shotless in his previous three video games. I notice his line with Hintz and Robertson was cratered at 5-on-5 in Game 6 (minus-7 in shot makes an attempt).
But in a sequence this shut, with a goalie on the opposite aspect as seemingly locked in as Adin Hill, that is historically Pavelski Time. A time when pucks shot from the purpose bounce off of his varied extremities and into the online. He’s one of the postseason’s preeminent “old guys without a Cup.” It’s time for him to assist Dallas take one step nearer to elevating it.
Who is the one key participant you will be awaiting the Golden Knights?
Clark: Jonathan Marchessault. For all we all know, there’s an opportunity this may very well be the final time we see him in a Golden Knights sweater. The reigning Conn Smythe winner is a pending unrestricted free agent who had 4 factors within the first 4 video games of the sequence, however was held with no level prior to now two contests.
He’s been energetic, as evidenced by the 17 photographs he has recorded. But once we take into consideration what made the Golden Knights so formidable final 12 months, it was having players who may very well be trusted in some of probably the most troublesome conditions. Marchessault was on the prime of that record, and it seems he may very well be once more in Game 7.
Matiash: Jack Eichel. Serving as a key issue early for the Knights, Eichel scored three objectives and three assists by means of the primary 4 video games of this playoff set. Since then, one helper and 5 photographs whole prior to now two. A productively clutch efficiency from Marchessault’s linemate — who led his membership with 1.08 factors per recreation this common season — would go a great distance in swinging issues in Vegas’s favor.
Öcal: Noah Hanifin. He has two game-winning objectives this sequence, together with in Game 6. We all know that depth wins video games, sequence and Stanley Cups; however it helps when your stars shine the brightest. Other than a difficult Game 3, he is been fairly good on this sequence, and if Hanifin has one other recreation the place he can present a spark, and even factors (he has 5 this sequence), that bodes nicely for VGK.
Shilton: Ivan Barbashev. Think again to the playoffs final 12 months, when Barbashev had seven objectives and 18 factors in 22 video games. The indisputable fact that he has simply 4 assists on this sequence thus far — however has been producing some terrific probabilities — suggests Barbashev may very well be on the cusp of a breakout.
Game 7 is when every part is on the road. Top strains is perhaps neutralized. It’s a staff’s depth that may swing an final result, and Barbashev is poised to be that man for Vegas. He has the ability and historical past in his favor. Now it is nearly executing once more, and discovering his second to actually affect Vegas on the score sheet.
Wyshynski: Adin Hill. After Logan Thompson began the primary three video games of the sequence, Hill comes strolling in along with his hockey bag and says “Hey, I heard you needed a goalie who could post a .938 save percentage and a 1.52 goals-against average and pitch a shutout while facing elimination?”
Adin Hill is doing the Adin Hill factor once more. In his previous 18 playoff video games, Hill has a .933 save share and a 2.09 goals-against common. In his previous 62 regular-season video games, he has a .912 save share and a 2.62 GAA. There’s an alchemy between the way in which he performs and the way in which the Knights play in entrance of him within the playoffs. He’s already on the way in which to being their postseason goaltending savior — once more.
The final score will likely be _____.
Clark: 1-0 Stars in OT. Here’s the truth of this sequence. Neither staff permits that a lot offensively. But that is what occurs when one staff is making an attempt to win a consecutive Stanley Cup and the opposite has constructed a roster that is constructed to attain the Cup Final after reaching the Western Conference finals final season.
It quantities to two groups that thrive from capitalizing on errors, and Game 7 will likely be determined by which one makes the costliest miscue.
Matiash: 3-2 Stars. After a cautious, tentative and tight first interval, either side will loosen up and supply us with a extra entertaining affair related to the Stars’ victory in Game 5. Only this time, Pavelski — Greg is bang-on about this being “Pavelski Time” — scores the sport winner as a substitute of Robertson.
Öcal: 2-1 Stars in OT. Low-scoring sequence, each groups extremely stacked, will not need to make any errors in Game 7, tight checking. I might have picked 1-0, truthfully, if Ryan hadn’t already. But this one looks like an instant-classic OT thriller.
Shilton: 4-3 Stars. Despite some tight video games earlier within the sequence, this one looks like a recreation that will likely be large open from the beginning. But Dallas has been the higher staff general, and that ought to carry it by means of to another victory. Vegas will not make it straightforward, although, and the Stars may have to channel their defensive habits (which have been particularly good at residence) to hold the Golden Knights’ stars from working wild. In the top, all these margins will likely be slim, however Dallas has the fortitude to outlast Vegas’ assault.
Wyshynski: 3-1 Stars. The Golden Knights performed their most full recreation of the sequence in Game 6, and it was nonetheless a one-bounce recreation till Mark Stone’s empty-netter.
Dallas has performed higher defensively on residence ice on this sequence (1.97 anticipated objectives towards at 5-on-5) than on the highway (2.33). They’re going to get the matchups they need with home-ice benefit. That Game 6 loss was extra disappointing than debilitating. Coach Pete DeBoer is 7-0 in Game 7. He’ll have the Stars assured and prepared for his or her second. The Stars will break an intense 1-1 recreation with a objective halfway by means of the third interval, and Hintz will ice it with an empty-netter to advance.