What is this city going to look like in a couple of weeks if our Vegas Golden Knights manage to win the Stanley Cup?
One thing is for sure, the Knights are in firm control of their Western Conference final series as they totally dominated the Stars on Tuesday night in Dallas with a 4-0 win to go up 3-0.
Vegas was in control of the game from start to finish, even getting on the board first with a goal from Jonathan Marchessault 71 seconds into the game. The game really turned in the Knights favor after Dallas captain Jamie Benn leveled Vegas captain Mark Stone and then delivered a two handed smash with the shaft of his stick to Stone’s head when Stone was down. Benn was ejected from the game and will have a hearing later today and will be probably be suspended for game four.
On the subsequent five minute power play, Ivan Barbashev scored to put Vegas up 2-0. William Carrier fired in a nice back handed shot 17 seconds later to give the Knights a 3-0 lead and send Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger to the bench.
Another scuffle ensued late in the second period when Dallas’ Max Domi cross checked Nicolas Hague in the back, knocking him down. When Hague got up smiling, Domi proceeded to start punching him in the face. The Dallas fans threw objects onto the ice as the referees announced the penalty against Domi and with 22 seconds left in the period the refs sent both teams to the locker rooms, ending the period early.
Alex Pietrangelo added a third period goal for the Knights and Adin Hill was once again superb in goal with 26 saves and earned his first career playoff shutout.
The Knights can sweep the Stars and advance to the Stanley Cup final on Thursday night in Dallas. Game time is 5pm. If Vegas fails to get the sweep game five will be on Saturday at 5pm at T-Mobile Arena.
The road to the Stanley Cup goes through Vegas!!