Vegas pulls even in West by regaining its scoring touch

EDMONTON, Alberta — After running into a hot goalie late last round and being shut out in the opener of the Western Conference final, pressure mounted in the minds of the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2.

When Paul Stastny scored to end a lengthy goal drought by Vegas forwards, the entire mood changed. William Karlsson and Tomas Nosek made it three goals in less than 10 minutes, Robin Lehner stopped all 24 shots he faced and the Golden Knights rediscovered their winning ways and beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 Tuesday night, evening the series.

“We were snake-bitten for a while there and think everybody was gripping their stick a little tight,” forward Chandler Stephenson said. “We’re at our best when we have that swagger and we’re making plays and tough to defend. It was nice to get that mojo back tonight and even the series.”

Stastny’s second-period goal was the first by a Vegas forward with an opposing goalie in net in 276:24, dating to Game 4 against Vancouver in the last round. His and Karlsson’s were the kind of goals the Golden Knights became accustomed to scoring — ones that are difficult or impossible for someone like Anton Khudobin to stop.

After getting flustered by hot Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko and failing to crack Khudobin in a hard-hitting Game 1 that was played at the Stars’ pace, Vegas finally looked like the team that earned the top seed in the West and steamrolled through the first round and halfway through the Vancouver series.

“That first goal relieved a little bit of pressure,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “We got our game back, and I think once we got that first goal, I think we looked like we normally do, which was making plays and finding space and sticking pucks in the net.”

The return of enforcer Ryan Reaves was just one element of that. With Reaves suspended a game for an illegal check to the head, DeBoer didn’t start his physical fourth line as he had in 34 consecutive games since the All-Star break in January.

After no goals in the first period, Stastny scored on a redirection in front from Max Pacioretty. With agitating Stars winger Corey Perry in the penalty box minutes later, Karlsson scored on the power play with Mark Stone sliding in front to screen Khudobin.

“I think we hung on in the first,“Stars winger Mattias Janmark said. “Eventually when you’re on your heels, you’re going to get scored on and we did, and they kept rolling. They were in charge all game.”