Eichel scores in OT to give Vegas a 2-1 win over the Stars in Western Conference final rematch

DALLAS (AP) — Jack Eichel scored 1:57 into overtime after initially whiffing at the puck and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Wednesday night.

Eichel was trying to shoot and missed while skating by defenseman Thomas Harley. After the puck kept moving forward, Eichel stayed with it and knocked it past goalie Jake Oettinger for his eighth goal of the season.

It was the fourth consecutive regular-season game between Vegas and Dallas that went beyond regulation. Vegas won a shootout at home Oct. 17, after the Stars twice won shootouts last season. Plus, three of their six games in the Western Conference Final last May went to overtime.

The reigning Stanley Cup champion Knights were back at the American Airlines Center for the first time since their 6-0 rout to wrap up the Western Conference Final in Game 6.

Vegas goalie Aiden Hill had 32 saves. Oettinger stopped 24 shots, including point-blank shots by Paul Cotter and William Karlsson in quick succession with just under six minutes left in regulation.

Michael Amadio had a power-play goal for the Knights, who reached 30 points in their first 20 games for the third time in franchise history. They are 3-4-1 since winning 11 of their first 12.

The Stars got even at 1-1 in the closing minute of the second period when Roope Hintz scored his eighth goal of the season after some nifty and quick passing that covered the length of the ice.

Harley didn't get an assist, but started the play when he gathered the puck behind their own net and pushed it ahead past center ice. Jason Robertson then quickly flicked it to Joe Pavelski, who made a cross-ice pass to Hintz for a shot from the left circle that slid under Hill's blocker pad.

Vegas was on a power play midway through the first period when Amadio had a 40-foot wrister ricochet off Oettinger. Chandler Stephenson then passed to the right of the net to Nicholas Roy, who did a spin move and pushed the puck across the crease to the other side for Amadio, who snapped it into the net for his third goal and a 1-0 lead.

UP NEXT

Golden Knights: Host Arizona on Saturday night.

Stars: Host Calgary on Friday night.

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