10:40 p.m. Monday: Reaction

The Dallas Stars’ 2022-23 season ended with a 6-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

Dallas fought to extend the series to six games after facing a 3-0 deficit through the first three games, but Vegas’ aggressive forecheck and puck control dictated a fast pace early and forced the Stars to make mistakes in their defensive zone.
“It was a case where Vegas went to another level and maybe one too many nights of us going to the well in an elimination game,” Coach Pete DeBoer said as he met with the media after the game. “It’s hard to refill that tank over and over again, and I just didn’t think there was enough left.”
“That desperation level — going to that place as a player — takes a lot of energy,” he continued. “It’s hard to refill that when you’re not doing it once… You’re asking your group to do it four times in a row. That’s tough, especially when you’re playing an excellent hockey team on the other side.”
William Carrier opened the scoring for the Golden Knights less than four minutes into the game as he dragged the puck around a sprawled out Jake Oettinger in front of the net and placed a backhand into the goal.
The Golden Knights went on to score three goals in the first period on their way to a rout, capitalizing on an Esa Lindell penalty when Reilly Smith’s shot from the right faceoff circle was stopped, and William Karlsson deposited the rebound into the net on the other side of Oettinger and adding to it with a Keegan Kolesar goal as Vegas’ speed got behind the Dallas defense.
Dallas was much more physical to start the second period as the crowd roared with every hit. A Vegas penalty sent the Stars to a much-needed power play, yet they were unable to convert.
Vegas continued its barrage when Ivan Barbashev found his way behind the Dallas defense and connected with a cutting Jonathan Marchessault in front of the net as the defense collapsed on him in the corner. Marchessault made a quick move to beat Oettinger and put the stars in a 4-0 hole.

The Golden Knights added to more goals in the third to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers.

9:38 p.m.: Final score

The Golden Knights punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup final with a shutout victory.

Vegas blanked the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, winning, 6-0, at the American Airlines Center.

William Karlsson scored twice for the Knights. Goalie Adin Hill turned away 23 shots.

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The Golden Knights win the series, 4-2, and will play the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup.

4 p.m. Monday: Preview

The Dallas Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night at the American Airlines Center.

Dallas trails the series 3-2 but has won two in a row after falling behind, 3-0, and being kept scoreless on home ice in Game 3.

“We’ve talked about it a ton, just keeping this group together one more day,” forward Luke Glendening told the media Monday morning. “Just take that attitude [into] every game and every day, and we’ve got another chance this evening.”

The Stars’ chances will be boosted as captain Jamie Benn returns from a two-game suspension.

“It’s obviously huge to have our captain back,” Glendening said. “We’ve talked about it for two games, but he means so much to this team — both in the room and on the ice.”

Jason Robertson has stepped up in Benn’s absence, scoring five of his seven playoff goals in this series after struggling to produce early in the playoffs, while Ty Dellandrea delivered the winning performance with two third-period goals in Game 5.

“He’s put himself in a lot of good spots on the ice,” Benn said of Robertson as he met with the media on Monday. “He’s shooting lots of pucks; it just wasn’t going in for him early on. Now, it’s going in.”

Dallas will try to force a Game 7 and get closer to accomplishing an extremely rare comeback from down 3-0 in a playoff series.

“Our lives are on the line, and we don’t want to go home yet,” Benn concluded.

Game 6 begins at 7 p.m. CT Monday.

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