LAS VEGAS -- The Dallas Stars will try to tie the Western Conference First Round when they play the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.
The Stars cut the Golden Knights’ lead in the best-of-7 series with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3 on Saturday, outshooting them 46-34, including 30-10 in the first 30 minutes.
“I think when you play a game like that, you feel like this is a new series now,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “And we have a chance to really kind of grab this back next game, so that should be our desperation level.”
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy called Game 3 an aberration the way the Golden Knights gave up breakaways, odd-man rushes and open looks. He said the players looked tired. Like Dallas, Vegas didn’t practice Sunday, holding a team meeting and resting instead.
“We weren’t prepared to play,” Cassidy said. “It’s the coaches’ job to do that with the game plan, which needed to be better, but the individual has to prepare to win his races and battles, so they weren’t.
“So, let’s make sure we correct that for [Game 4] and put this one behind us, but understand what we’re up against here, by that I mean the Dallas Stars and how they played.”
Teams that have taken a 3-1 lead in a best-of-7 series are 306-32 (.905) all-time.
Here are 3 Keys for Game 4:
1. Adjustments
The Stars created much more off the rush in Game 3 by rimming the puck out of the defensive zone and taking advantage of mistakes.
“They won a lot of those races and battles and forced us into some turnovers in the neutral zone,” Cassidy said. “We didn’t manage the puck well to get back at them.”
The Golden Knights went over video Monday morning.
“They’re going to tighten that up, I assume,” Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley said. “I can’t imagine Cassidy was happy with that. So, it’s going to be a whole lot harder for offense, but we have to continue executing at a high level along the walls, just making little bump passes to each other.”
If the Golden Knights seal the walls, the Stars must adjust to that.
“Look up,” Dallas center Wyatt Johnston said. “See what’s available. If they’re taking away that rim, then obviously we don’t want to rim it right into what they’re trying to take away, right? It’s just using our heads, having some poise and making whatever play’s open.”
2. Goaltending
Logan Thompson made 43 saves in Game 3, tying his NHL career high and the team Stanley Cup Playoff record. He has a 2.14 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in the series, his first playoff experience in the NHL.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger has a 2.50 GAA and .892 save percentage.
“You’re not, like, playing against him, but you feel like you are, kind of,” Oettinger said. “It’s hard mentally. You want to obviously do what you can, but you can’t make things happen. You have to wait for it to happen.”
3. Discipline
The Golden Knights went 2-for-2 on the power play in Game 1 but have gone 0-for-2 since. The Stars are 1-for-5 in the series and have allowed a short-handed goal.
Vegas ranked fourth in the NHL in the regular season in least amount of time on the penalty kill (368:57). Dallas ranked 11th (388:20).
“I think we knew coming into the series that both teams don’t take a lot of penalties,” DeBoer said. “There’s a lot of discipline on both sides. At the same time, there’s still a lot of physicality, but it’s between the whistles and within the rules. I think we’re comfortable that way.”
Stars projected lineup
Jason Robertson -- Roope Hintz -- Wyatt Johnston
Jamie Benn -- Matt Duchene -- Logan Stankoven
Evgenii Dadonov -- Tyler Seguin -- Joe Pavelski
Craig Smith -- Sam Steel -- Ty Dellandrea
Thomas Harley -- Miro Heiskanen
Esa Lindell -- Chris Tanev
Ryan Suter -- Nils Lundkvist
Jake Oettinger
Scott Wedgewood
Scratched: Mavrik Bourque
Injured: Radek Faksa (undisclosed), Jani Hakanpaa (lower body), Mason Marchment (undisclosed)
Golden Knights projected lineup
Ivan Barbashev -- Jack Eichel -- Jonathan Marchessault
Tomas Hertl -- Chandler Stephenson -- Mark Stone
Brett Howden -- William Karlsson -- Michael Amadio
William Carrier -- Nicolas Roy -- Keegan Kolesar
Noah Hanifin -- Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb -- Shea Theodore
Zach Whitecloud -- Alec Martinez
Logan Thompson
Adin Hill
Scratched: Paul Cotter, Pavel Dorofeyev, Ben Hutton, Anthony Mantha
Injured: Nicolas Hague (lower body)
Status report
The Stars held an optional morning skate Monday. … Forwards Faksa and Marchment are game-time decisions. … Karlsson did not participate in the morning skate but will play. … Amadio will play on the third line in place of Mantha.
