04/26/24 05:36:00
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04/26 17:34 CDT Golden Knights have limited Stars' scoring chances to take 2-0
series lead
Golden Knights have limited Stars' scoring chances to take 2-0 series lead
By MARK ANDERSON
AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) --- The problems for Dallas are two-fold --- the Stars aren't
getting great scoring chances and for long stretches aren't even putting the
puck on net.
That's primarily why the Golden Knights are back in Las Vegas with a 2-0 lead
in the first-round NHL playoffs series. Game 3 is Saturday night (10:30 p.m.
EDT, TBS).
In Game 1, a 4-3 Dallas loss, the Stars didn't get a shot on goal in the second
period until 8:52 into it. Vegas closed out the 3-1 victory in Game 2 by
holding Dallas without a shot on goal over the final 5:38.
"It's tight through the neutral zone," Stars forward Jason Robertson said.
"We've got to pick our spots, whether to skate (the puck) or put it in a spot
where we can get it back."
That kind of defense was a major reason why the Knights won the Stanley Cup
last year, but there were lapses this season as Vegas battled injuries and
illness on the blue line. The Knights began to find themselves defensively
about a month ago.
"That certainly has to be a calling card for our hockey club if you want to be
successful, a clear understanding of how we have to play," Knights coach Bruce
Cassidy said. "So we talk about it. I think our guys bought into it. They saw
it work last year."
For Vegas, the defense goes beyond forcing opponents into dry shooting spells.
Since Cassidy became the Knights coach two years ago, he has installed a
defensive system that pushes shots to the sides and keeps scorers out of the
slot.
Dallas actually outshot the Knights 29-15 in the series opener, but Vegas
controlled most of the game and led throughout.
"We've been doing a good job of eliminating time and space," Knights defenseman
Alec Martinez said. "I think the forwards have done a really good job of
applying that back pressure, and their back checking allows us to feel
comfortable to stay up.
"When you have pressure from behind and ahead of you, it tends to squeeze
players out of the neutral zone and forces them to make decisions either they
don't want to make or make the decision a little bit earlier than they want."
PANTHERS at LIGHTNING, Panthers lead 3-0, 5 p.m. EDT (TBS)
Tampa Bay has dropped the first three games of a series for the first time
since being swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019.
The Lightning have lost six straight postseason games at home, dating to a 6-2
victory over Colorado in Game 3 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
Tampa Bay has never rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. Overall,
teams losing the first three games have a series record of 4-202.
An empty-net goal was the difference in the series opener, Carter Verhaeghe's
overtime winner decided Game 2, and Florida scored late to seal a 5-3 win in
Game 3.
"That's a very, very good hockey team over there that plays a style that you
need to play to win at this time of the year," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos
said. "But we still believe that we can go out and win the next game."
BRUINS at MAPLE LEAFS, Boston leads 2-1, 8 p.m. EDT (TBS)
The Maple Leafs are about to find out how committed Bruins coach Jim Montgomery
is to his goalie rotation.
Jeremy Swayman is 2-0 so far against Toronto in their first-round playoff
series and 5-0 against Toronto this season. Linus Ullmark, who lost Game 2,
would be the starter for Saturday's fourth game if Montgomery keeps alternating
his goalies, as he did for almost all of the regular season and the playoffs so
far.
Goalie rotations are not uncommon in the regular season, but they are virtually
unknown in the playoffs, when there are no back-to-back games needing rest.
Teams try to find the hot hand and ride with it.
"The rotation has been so good for us," Montgomery said. "So it's a hard
decision."
HURRICANES at ISLANDERS, Carolina leads 3-0, 2 p.m. EDT (TBS)
Pushed to the brink of elimination, the Islanders know they don't have any
margin of error left.
"We cannot think more than one game at a time," coach Patrick Roy said. "We
have our backs against the wall. So we need to focus about tomorrow. That's all
we can do. And then let's see where we are after the game."
Roy confirmed veteran goalie Semyon Varlamov will be back in goal.
Varlamov started the first two games and gave up six goals on 63 shots. The
Islanders turned to Ilya Sorokin for Game 3, but he was pulled in the second
period after allowing three goals on 14 shots. Varlamov came on and stopped all
eight shots he faced in the Islanders' 3-2 loss.
___
AP Sports Writers Vin Cherwoo, Jimmy Golen, Fred Goodall and Stephen Hawkins
contributed to this report.
___
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and
https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
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