Stars avoid elimination again, defeat Golden Knights in Game 5

LAS VEGAS --Ty Dellandrea scored twice in the third period for the Dallas Stars, who avoided elimination again with a 4-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

It was the first multigoal NHL game for Dellandrea, who was a healthy scratch the first two games of this series.

"It's hard. There's no denying that it's hard (to be a healthy scratch)," Dellandrea said. "You just make sure you feel ready and a part of it. … I'm thankful for a good group of character guys. Just got to stay ready. I was just focused on we got to win games, and I was happy for the group."

Vegas leads the best-of-7 series 3-2. Game 6 will be in Dallas on Monday.

"That's our group. Next man up," Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. "We got contributions from everyone. Gutsy, gutsy win being down a couple of guys (Jamie Benn, suspension; Evgenii Dadonov, lower-body injury), coming in here, and we talked about taking a bite out of the elephant. We did tonight. We got a couple bites to go, but I like our group. I wouldn't bet against them."

Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening also scored, and Thomas Harley had two assists for Dallas, which is the No. 2 seed from the Central Division. Jake Oettinger made 27 saves.

"We put ourselves in a really tough spot, and to get to the point where we're at now shows the characters we have in the room and the belief that we have," Oettinger said. "We've done our job at this point, but unfortunately for us our backs are still against the wall."

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Ivan Barbashev and Chandler Stephenson scored, and Jonathan Marchessault had two assists for Vegas, which is the top seed from the West. Adin Hill made 30 saves.

The Golden Knights finished the game with 24 turnovers compared to nine for the Stars.

"It's not the right way to play," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We're trying to go to the Stanley Cup Final against a desperate team. To me, it's the whole game right there. That falls under urgency. You're not making the right decision with the puck or you're not supporting it well. It starts right there. That's the first thing we got to correct."

Dellandrea gave the Stars a 3-2 lead at 10:35 of the third period when his shot from the right circle deflected off Alex Pietrangelo's stick and beat Hill short side under his glove.

Dellandrea then made it 4-2 at 12:02, scoring from in front after Max Domi was pushed into Hill by Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague.

"Just been trying to shoot it," Dellandrea said. "I had an opportunity last game that I really thought I should have capitalized on, and I've been getting chances. So, to be able to put in one tonight felt good and contribute in that department."

Barbashev gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 13:36 of the first period. After Jack Eichel won a battle with Wyatt Johnston, Barbashev picked up the loose puck, cut toward the net, and warded off Mason Marchment before tucking a shot past Oettinger's right pad.

Glendening tied it 1-1 at 15:24, redirecting Harley's shot from the point.

"They had good push back. We got the lead, they just answered just right away," Cassidy said. "That's something you want to be better at, is trying to extend the lead as opposed as to tying it up again."

Stephenson put Vegas back in front 2-1 at 3:20 of the second period. He skated off the bench, took a cross-ice pass from Shea Theodore in the left circle, and roofed a wrist shot glove side on Oettinger.

Robertson tied it 2-2 at 5:29. His initial shot was blocked by Theodore, but the puck landed at his feet and he chipped the rebound in over Hill.

"I don't think we played a full 60 minutes," Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez said. "There were a lot of different things. They were hungrier. They won their battles.

"We're playing a desperate hockey team, and no one said it would be easy. We have to match their urgency and desperation."

NOTE: Robertson has scored five goals in the Western Conference Final. He had two goals in his first 13 games this postseason.