Vegas Writer - Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars

VW'S NHL CONFERENCE FINAL GAME OF THE YEAR

Handicapper

Vegas Writer

League

NHL

Competition

Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars

Time

05/25/2023 08:15 PM

Bet Type

Moneyline

Pick

Vegas Golden Knights +105 (BetMGM)

Outcome

Loss

Analysis

The Vegas Golden Knights are like sharks smelling blood, and tonight will be the final chomp. The Dallas Stars didn't need to lose the way they did on Tuesday, but considering the way they did, I can't imagine tonight going any other direction but into summer vacation for them. The Golden Knights blanked Dallas, 4-0, in Game 3. They also showed their mental toughness in not letting the Stars get under their skin. They held strong when it came to Jamie Benn cross-checking Mark Stone in the head while he lay on the ice. Or later, when Stone continued to receive unnecessary roughness from Max Domi, also charged for a cross-check. Vegas stuck to the gameplan, something it struggled with - and learned from - in its series against the Edmonton Oilers. Now it's time to finish the job. With the Florida Panthers now in the Stanley Cup Final, there's no reason to prolong the inevitable, as the Golden Knights will join the Eastern Conference champs tonight. Vegas has been far too efficient on the whole, and quite frankly, might have secured this series in Game 2 when it tied the game with a little more than 2 minutes left in the game and then less than 2 minutes into overtime. Dallas coach Peter DeBoer has quite the dilemma on his hands, in choosing which goaltender to use since Jake Oettinger may have had his confidence shaken in Game 3, when he was pulled from a game, again. He also has to figure out how his team will recover from an energy-draining loss that had fans throwing debris on the ice near the end of the second period, and for a game he'll be without Benn, who has been suspended two games for the hit on Stone. Heck, it was so bad, Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts apologized to the team’s fans on behalf of the Golden Knights and the NHL for their behavior on Tuesday. It's been quite the unraveling for a team that was favored to win the Western Conference Final, while the top-seeded Knights are set to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in six seasons. Play the road team.