Promises kept: Faksa’s game-winner yet another special moment in Stars’ season

Sure, Radek Faksa hadn’t played a game in almost two weeks and was returning from an injury to compete in a high-pressure Game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, but he knew the perfect preparation.

How about a game of “mini sticks” with his young son Elliot?

The battle typically has a younger player on his feet on the floor and an older player on his knees. Each has a small toy hockey stick and usually a spongy puck or ball and they try to score into a tiny net. Talk about great relaxation.

But Faksa got a little too excited in the moment and made a promise that could have backfired.

“I promised him I would score a goal,” Faksa said.

Now remember, Faksa had eight goals in 73 playoff games before Sunday, so this was not a common occurrence. And, yeah, he hadn’t played in four games and was still shaking off some rust from his recovery, but there he was in the third period, buzzing around with linemates Craig Smith and Sam Steel and flinging a puck at the Vegas net. And yes, like a gift from the mini stick gods, Faksa’s only shot of the night found its way past Adin Hill and into the net.

That stood up as the game-winner when Faksa and his teammates shut things down and took a 2-1 win to beat the Golden Knights and advance to a Second Round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche.

“I’m so happy I did,” Faksa said of the goal and the promise.

His son, who is two and a half years old, had to go to bed early and missed the goal, but Faksa said reliving it with him was just as good.

"I'm so excited to show him a video of the goal in the morning," Faksa said after the win. “And we can watch it together.”

It was just yet another special moment for this team. They have come together as a family and found a way to buy into the motto of “A little less for a lot more.” Each one has taken his turn. Each one has found joy in his teammate’s accomplishments. Faksa’s special night is just the latest example.

He stepped in for Ty Dellandrea, who scored the game-winner in Game 4. Dellandrea, who was scratched for the first two games of the series, sat out Game 7 to make room for Faksa. The quartet of Faksa, Dellandrea, Smith and Steel rotated on the fourth line all season, and each has taken turns at healthy scratches. It’s been an impressive rotation both on and off the ice.

“They’ve been awesome,” said leading scorer Wyatt Johnston. “Not only scoring, but generating the momentum, playing in the defensive zone and setting the next line up in a positive way. They’ve been huge no matter who has been playing in that spot.”

Stars coach Pete DeBoer has pointed to the team’s forward depth as a huge strength, and it might have been the difference against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Golden Knights won the battle of fourth lines last season and defeated the Stars in six games in the Western Conference Final. This season, the Stars had the better fourth line.

DeBoer started the fourth line to begin periods in several different games, and with the score tied 1-1 at second intermission Sunday, he did the same thing. The trio pushed the puck deep into the offensive zone, won several battles and created enough chaos to score a huge goal.

“We were actually watching video right before warmups on their two-man cycle they play,” Faksa said. “That style of defense is hard to beat, so I tried to cut the middle and Smitty passed the puck back to me, and I received it on my skate. I just put it on the net, you never know, and luckily, I got a lucky bounce. It was a big relief.”

Faksa is one of the team’s grizzled veterans. Yes, he just turned 30 this year, but the 13th overall pick in 2012 has played 638 games over nine seasons and understands just how much this group wants to win. Dallas was the third-to-last team standing last season and lost the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. The hunger is intense, and beating the team that eliminated them last year was a great first step.

“It’s huge,” Faksa said. "Vegas has a hell of a team. They have so many good guys, and it was a big war every game. Every game was so close, and a huge credit to them. It was a big redemption from last year, and I am very happy we could move to the next round.”

The fact Faksa missed four games in the series makes the ending even sweeter. He watched games from the stands and supported his teammates, waiting for the chance to get back in.

“It’s tough to watch the games from up there,” he said. “To be honest, you are more nervous watching the games from the seats than when you are on the bench playing. I had a tough time watching the game, so I was just happy to be back.”

And even happier to contribute in such an important way. Of his nine playoff goals, four of them have held up as the game-winner. He’s also just the fifth player to score a GWG in a Game 7 in Dallas history. Faksa scored his first and only hat trick against the Golden Knights back in November 2017. It was the first hat trick Vegas had allowed in its brief franchise history.

Now, he’s got the goals that ended their Cup defense season.

“A huge goal for us and a game-winner,” Faksa said. “I was so happy I could help.”

And happy for Elliot, too. He has a heck of a memory now for the rest of his life.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.