The Western Conference Final is now set. The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars posted Game 7 victories on Friday and will meet in the postseason for the first time ever starting on Sunday at 8 p.m. The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders will face off tonight at 7:30 p.m. with the winner meeting the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 0
Shea Theodore scored the series-winning goal with 6:08 remaining in the third period, and the Vegas Golden Knights advanced to the Western Conference Final with a 3-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Peter DeBoer went with Robin Lehner in net and he made 14 saves for his third shutout of the series for Vegas, while Thatcher Demko was again heroic for the Canucks, stopping 33 of the 34 shots he faced. Alex Tuch and Paul Stastny added empty-net goals for the Golden Knights, who advanced to the final four for the second time in its three-year existence. Former Florida Panthers forward Reilly Smith set up the decisive goal.
Vegas win series four games to three
SBN Recaps: Knights On Ice / Nucks Misconduct
Dallas Stars 5, Colorado Avalanche 4 (OT)
Rookie Joel Kiviranta completed his first NHL hat trick 7:24 into overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Kiviranta tied the game with 3:30 left in regulation, just ten seconds after Vladislav Namestnikov’s second goal of the game had given the Avalanche a 4-3 lead. Alexander Radulov scored the other two goals for Dallas, and Anton Khudobin made 40 saves. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was kept off the score sheet for the first time in the postseason.
SBN Recaps: Defending Big D / Mile High Hockey
Today’s Game 7
New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers 7:30 p.m. NBC
Pregame at Lighthouse Hockey / Broad Street Hockey