The roles were reversed in Game 2 with the Stars looking sluggish and the Golden Knights looking more like the dominant team they have been all season.  Vegas comes into Thursday’s Game 3 as a -170 favourite with Dallas at +145.  The total for Game 3 is 5.5 with the under favoured at -135.  Puck drop is 8 p.m. ET.

Golden Knights vs. Stars Betting Analysis

Defense has been key between these teams in the past, as the under has gone 5-2-1 in their last eight meetings, while it is 5-0 in the Golden Knights’ last five games overall.

The favourite is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between these teams, while the Golden Knights are 7-2 in the last nine against the Stars.  The Stars are 6-1 in their last seven games when their opponent scores two or less goals the previous game.

Vegas is at +170 on the NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup, while Dallas is +700.

Vegas Golden Knights

Robin Lehner continues to prove himself after picking up his fourth shutout in 13 playoff games this year.  Lehner has now gone over 131 minutes without allowing a goal.  Putting 19 shots on net in the second period, Vegas was able to dominate the middle frame, which saw goals from Paul Statsny, William Karlsson and Tomas Nosek.  Statsny’s goal was actually the first non-empty net goal by a Vegas forward since Game 4 of the Vancouver Canucks series, a span of 276 minutes.

The key to the Golden Knights’ success is their transition game.  They are a fast team that can quickly transition to a quick rush up the ice on turnovers and they like to aggressively stand up attacking opponents at their own blue line.  If Vegas can get more forwards to start scoring and Lehner continues his strong play, this series might end quicker than the Stars would like.

Dallas Stars

The Stars looked more like their regular season selves in Game 2 and that is not a good thing as they finished the regular season with an average of 2.58 goals per game, 26^th in the league.  It looked like things were starting to turn around in the playoffs when the Stars scored 49 goals in 13 games against the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche, averaging 3.77 GPG, but they have only managed a single goal in the first two games of this series.  They have now gone 48 straight shots without scoring.  Starting goalie Ben Bishop’s injury looks like it is beginning to hurt the Stars as Anton Khudobin was average at best in Game 2, allowing three goals on 27 shots.  An interesting side note of that is after pulling Khudobin between the second and third periods, 21-year-old Jake Oettinger became the first goalie in NHL history to make their NHL debut in the Conference Final, stopping all five shots he faced.

The Stars can win this series, but they have key areas they need to focus on.  They were thrown around in the faceoff circle in Game 2, losing 11 of the first 12 faceoffs in the second period.  Taking down this strong Vegas team will require the Stars to limit their mistakes, forecheck aggressively and start winning faceoffs.

Who Will Win Golden Knights vs. Stars?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Golden Knights Team Leaders

VEG

Points	Max Pacioretty 66
+ / -	Chandler Stephenson 19
Shots	Max Pacioretty 307
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 47
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 27
GAA	Robin Lehner 1.67

DAL

Points	Tyler Seguin 50
+ / -	Miro Heiskanen 14
Shots	Tyler Seguin 245
Penalty Mins	Corey Perry 70
Wins	Ben Bishop 21
GAA	Anton Khudobin 2.22

VEG

Points	Shea Theodore 19
+ / -	Alec Martinez 11
Shots	Shea Theodore 80
Penalty Mins	Nick Cousins 22
Wins	Robin Lehner 9
GAA	Robin Lehner 1.99

DAL

Points	Miro Heiskanen 26
+ / -	Jamie Oleksiak 11
Shots	Jamie Benn 69
Penalty Mins	Mattias Janmark 38
Wins	Anton Khudobin 14
GAA	Anton Khudobin 2.69

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Stars Team Leaders

VEG

Points	Max Pacioretty 66
+ / -	Chandler Stephenson 19
Shots	Max Pacioretty 307
Penalty Mins	Ryan Reaves 47
Wins	Marc-Andre Fleury 27
GAA	Robin Lehner 1.67

DAL

Points	Tyler Seguin 50
+ / -	Miro Heiskanen 14
Shots	Tyler Seguin 245
Penalty Mins	Corey Perry 70
Wins	Ben Bishop 21
GAA	Anton Khudobin 2.22

VEG

Points	Shea Theodore 19
+ / -	Alec Martinez 11
Shots	Shea Theodore 80
Penalty Mins	Nick Cousins 22
Wins	Robin Lehner 9
GAA	Robin Lehner 1.99

DAL

Points	Miro Heiskanen 26
+ / -	Jamie Oleksiak 11
Shots	Jamie Benn 69
Penalty Mins	Mattias Janmark 38
Wins	Anton Khudobin 14
GAA	Anton Khudobin 2.69

Injuries

Vegas

Mark Stone (RW)

Prob Mon Foot - 14 / 09 / 20

Tomas Nosek (LW)

Ques Wed Shoulder - 11 / 09 / 20

Robin Lehner (G)

Prob Sat Knee - 11 / 09 / 20

Ryan Reaves (RW)

Elig Tues Suspension - 05 / 09 / 20

Nick Cousins (C)

Ques Sun Undisclosed - 05 / 09 / 20

Paul Stastny (C)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 15 / 08 / 20

Tomas Nosek (LW)

Out indefinitely Hand - 13 / 08 / 20

Chandler Stephenson (C)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 10 / 03 / 20

Tomas Nosek (LW)

Prob Sun Upper Body - 29 / 02 / 20

Mark Stone (RW)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 28 / 02 / 20

Dallas

Andrej Sekera (D)

Prob Mon Knee - 27 / 09 / 20

Roope Hintz (LW)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 26 / 09 / 20

Andrej Sekera (D)

day-to-day Knee - 26 / 09 / 20

Alexander Radulov (RW)

Prob Fri Undisclosed - 24 / 09 / 20

Blake Comeau (LW)

Ques Wed Upper Body - 21 / 09 / 20

Roope Hintz (LW)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 12 / 09 / 20

Corey Perry (RW)

day-to-day Undisclosed - 12 / 09 / 20

Radek Faksa (C)

Ques Wed Wrist - 11 / 09 / 20

Anton Khudobin (G)

Prob Sat Groin - 11 / 09 / 20

Roope Hintz (LW)

Ques Thurs Forearm - 08 / 09 / 20

Injuries

Vegas

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Mark Stone (RW)	Prob Mon	Foot - 14 / 09 / 20	0-1	0-1	+ -
Stone has a foot injury, but he is expected to suit up against the Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference final.
Tomas Nosek (LW)	Ques Wed	Shoulder - 11 / 09 / 20	0-2	0-2	+ -
Nosek is dealing with a shoulder injury, and it is unknown if he will play in Game 6 of the Western Conference final versus the Stars.
Robin Lehner (G)	Prob Sat	Knee - 11 / 09 / 20	0-2	0-2	+ -
Lehner is nursing a sore knee, but is likely to be available for Game 4 of the Western Conference final against the Stars.
Ryan Reaves (RW)	Elig Tues	Suspension - 05 / 09 / 20	2-4	0-6	+ -
Reaves is serving a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head, but he is expected to return for Game 2 of the Western Conference final versus the Stars.
Nick Cousins (C)	Ques Sun	Undisclosed - 05 / 09 / 20	2-4	0-6	+ -
Cousins is tending to an unspecified ailment, and it is unclear if he will lace up for Game 1 of the Western Conference final versus the Stars.
Paul Stastny (C)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 15 / 08 / 20	5-10	4-11	+ -
Stastny is dealing with an unspecified issue, and it is uncertain if he will line up for Game 5 of the Western Conference first round versus the Blackhawks.
Tomas Nosek (LW)	Out indefinitely	Hand - 13 / 08 / 20	6-10	4-12	+ -
Nosek has a hand injury and will miss an extended period.
Chandler Stephenson (C)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 10 / 03 / 20	11-10	8-13	+ -
Stephenson is dealing with an upper-body injury, but he is likely to return in the Western Conference round robin versus the Stars.
Tomas Nosek (LW)	Prob Sun	Upper Body - 29 / 02 / 20	14-12	8-17-1	+ -
Nosek is tending to an upper-body ailment, but it is not expected to impede his status for Sunday's contest against the Kings.
Mark Stone (RW)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 28 / 02 / 20	14-12	8-17-1	+ -
Stone will miss an extended period due to a lower-body injury.

Dallas

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Andrej Sekera (D)	Prob Mon	Knee - 27 / 09 / 20	1-0	0-0-1	+ -
Sekera is hampered by a knee injury, and he is likely to suit up against the Lightning in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final.
Roope Hintz (LW)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 26 / 09 / 20	2-0	1-0-1	+ -
Hintz is bothered by an unspecified injury, and it is undetermined if he will be active for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final against the Lightning.
Andrej Sekera (D)	day-to-day	Knee - 26 / 09 / 20	2-0	1-0-1	+ -
Sekera departed Saturday's game due to a knee injury, and it is up in the air if he will return.
Alexander Radulov (RW)	Prob Fri	Undisclosed - 24 / 09 / 20	2-1	2-0-1	+ -
Radulov is dealing with an injury to an unreported area, but he is expected to lace up for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final against the Lightning in question.
Blake Comeau (LW)	Ques Wed	Upper Body - 21 / 09 / 20	4-1	2-0-3	+ -
Comeau is battling an upper-body injury, and it is uncertain if it will interfere with his availability for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final versus the Lightning.
Roope Hintz (LW)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 12 / 09 / 20	7-1	2-2-4	+ -
Hintz has an upper-body injury, but it is unlikely to affect his status for Game 5 of the Western Conference final.
Corey Perry (RW)	day-to-day	Undisclosed - 12 / 09 / 20	7-1	2-2-4	+ -
Perry exited Saturday's game with an apparent injury and his return is in question.
Radek Faksa (C)	Ques Wed	Wrist - 11 / 09 / 20	7-1	2-2-4	+ -
Faksa is nursing a left wrist injury, and it is unknown if he will play in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final against the Lightning.
Anton Khudobin (G)	Prob Sat	Groin - 11 / 09 / 20	7-1	2-2-4	+ -
Khudobin is dealing with a groin injury, but will likely be available to face the Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference final.
Roope Hintz (LW)	Ques Thurs	Forearm - 08 / 09 / 20	8-2	2-4-4	+ -
Hintz is tending to a right forearm injury, and it is undetermined if he will suit up for Game 3 of the Western Conference final against the Golden Knights.