Dallas Stars swing long odds in their favor heading into Game 6
Dallas Stars swing long odds in their favor heading into Game 6
Dallas is aware that despite twice avoiding elimination, it cannot become comfortable when facing the Golden Knights.
Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer was reminded of the saying by bishop Desmond Tutu after his team dropped the first three games of the Western Conference Final: "There is only one way to eat an elephant, a bite at a time."
The Stars gave the Vegas Golden Knights another run for their money on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, winning Game 5 4-2 to avoid elimination once more and force a Game 6 at Dallas' American Airlines Center on Monday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).
With captain Jamie Benn back from a two-game suspension for cross-checking Golden Knights captain Mark Stone early in Game 3, the Stars' task of becoming the fifth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit no longer seems as daunting, even though they still trail the best-of-seven series 3-2.
We can't do that, DeBoer said on Sunday. "I think sometimes in human nature there is a tendency to take a breath now because Jamie's back and we've gotten through that adversity, and we can't do that," he added. We must ensure that we take care of business and give ourselves a chance to cross the finish line now that we can see it.
The Stars will need to play with the same degree of desperation they displayed in Games 4 and 5 to accomplish that since it is possible that the Golden Knights, who won't want to travel back to Vegas for a Game 7, will exhibit the same amount of desperation.
DeBoer responded, "I do," when asked if he believed Vegas would play with more franticness. "I also believe that the pressure increases. To blow a 3-0 lead puts a lot of strain on us all, and we all respond to pressure differently.
It's not like the games haven't been tight despite the series going down 3-0. Vegas triumphed 3-2 in overtime in Game 2 after losing Game 1 4-3 in overtime. Dallas triumphed 3-2 in overtime in Game 4, and Ty Dellandrea, a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series, scored twice in Game 5 to break the tie. This was Dellandrea's first multi-goal NHL game.
The sole exception was Game 3, in which Benn received a major penalty and game misconduct for cross-checking Stone. The Golden Knights went on to win that game 4-0.
Defenseman Thomas Harley of the Stars stated, "We're still down 3-2, and it's one loss and we're going home for the summer." "Since we are in the same situation as we were two games ago, maintaining that desperation won't be difficult. We'll be fine if we just keep doing what we're doing.
It undoubtedly helps that the Stars have been receiving output from forward Jason Robertson, who finished the regular season with 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists). After scoring just twice in his previous 13 postseason games, Robertson has five goals versus the Golden Knights.
He is a goal scorer, and I believe he is feeling it; when goal scorers feel this way, they go on runs, according to DeBoer. "He scored every night in his first 25 games of the season. I view him as that kind of player at this time. I recognize that kind of groove in him.
The Stars, who are as assured as they have been throughout the Western Final, have forced Game 6 thanks to their groove. All bets will be off if they manage to win one more game to extend the series to seven.
"It's still one at a time, that's been echoed throughout the room, and that will stand," Stars forward Fredrik Olofsson said. The return of [Benn] to the starting lineup will be welcome, and we are confident.