The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars will face off in Game 2 of their opening-round NHL playoff series on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The game will start at 9:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Vegas, the defending Stanley Cup champions, will send Logan Thompson to the net for his playoff debut. Thompson has a .926 save percentage and 2.14 goals-against average in his last 11 games. He split starts down the stretch with Adin Hill, who has struggled this season with injuries and inconsistent play.
Dallas will counter with Jake Oettinger, who has been one of the NHL’s top goalies this season. Oettinger has a .920 save percentage and 2.13 goals-against average in 43 games this season.
The Stars won the regular-season series against the Golden Knights, going 3-1-0. However, Vegas has won the last two playoff meetings between the two teams, including a six-game Western Conference Final victory last year.
The Golden Knights will be without captain Mark Stone, who is out with a lacerated spleen. Stone has missed 26 games since suffering the injury on February 20. Dallas will also be without defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who is out with an upper-body injury.
The Stars will need to find a way to slow down Vegas’ top line of Mark Stone, William Karlsson, and Reilly Smith. The trio has combined for 65 points in the playoffs this season.
Vegas will need to find a way to get more production from its power play, which has converted just 16.7% of its chances this season.
The Stars have a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the series before heading to Las Vegas for Games 3 and 4. The Golden Knights will need to find a way to win on the road if they want to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.
This is a crucial game for both teams. A win for Vegas would tie the series at 1-1, while a win for Dallas would put them in control of the series. It should be a great matchup between two of the NHL’s top teams.
