Vegas Golden Knights hand Dallas Stars 3-2 defeat to take 2-0 series lead after winning two straight

A cutting penalty in the first period and a cross-check in retaliation in the second not only sent Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson into the box twice, but also resulted in a conversation with coach Bruce Cassidy in the second break.

“Let’s not let our ego get in the way of our success,” Cassidy told Stephenson. “It’s playoffs. You handle it.’

He did just that. Stephenson jumped on a rebound 1:12 into overtime and hit the back of the net to complete a rally and give the Golden Knights a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final.

Stephenson, Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone each had a goal and an assist for Vegas, and Adin Hill saved 26 shots.

Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson each scored for the Stars, and Ryan Suter had two assists. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves.

Dallas lost in their second consecutive overtime loss and first 2-0 deficit this postseason

Game 3 is Tuesday in Dallas.

Teams that have won the first two games in the series leading up to the Stanley Cup Final have gone ahead 91% of the time, one of the few times when the odds have been in the Knights’ favor.

They’ve gone against the usual roads to victory during the NHL playoffs by going 7-3 when the opposing team scores first and recording eight comeback wins.

Dallas led 1-0 and 2-1 before Marchessault forced overtime with a shot from the end with only 2:22 left in the third period. He blasted in after a sensational no-look pass from Jack Eichel, who took advantage of a ball from Suter.

“After that it was like, ‘Okay, we’re back in it,’ and I think we have this belief that we’re not going to lose,” said Stephenson.

The Stars have discovered that overtime is an unwinnable proposition. They are 0-4 in OT games this postseason, the fifth team to lose that many. All four conference finals games have gone into overtime, the first time in NHL history to do so.

“I thought we did a lot of good things, fixed a lot of things from Game 1,” said Stars coach Peter DeBoer.

“I thought Jack Eichel and Marchessault would play a big game there to even it out, and we react. Our chance in extra time was as good or even better than theirs. We just have to put it in the net.’

Star defender Miro Heiskanen (4) and Vegas center Ivan Barbashev (49) battle for the puck

Vegas right winger Mark Stone (61) scores on Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29)

Each team took advantage of funky bounces to score in the first period.

Heiskanen scored just 2:47 into the game for the Stars, the puck hopping over Hill. Vegas tied the score at 10:08 when the puck went off Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell’s skate and Stone buried the 5-on-3 power play goal that came from an unusual double penalty on the Stars – their only two offenses.

Robertson scored for the second straight game when he reeled in a rebound on a power play at 9:21 of the second period to put Dallas back in the lead 2–1.

That goal rewarded a Stars defensive effort that allowed only 10 shots on target in the first two periods.

However, the Knights turned up the pressure in the third period with 12 shots on target, forced overtime, and then quickly won in overtime.

Stephenson ended a difficult day with a shot he will remember for a long time.

“Obviously I need to keep my emotions in check a bit more,” Stephenson said. ‘You never want to give a team with a good power play two good chances. It was nice to end it with that.’