Just back....not sure how it looked on TV, but in reality, VGK were the better team most of the night. Won most puck battles, most stick battles, and most mano a mano battles.
I started counting zone entries without a shot on goal in the third before I left early. In the first half of the period, the Stars had 3 icings, 5-6 no shot zone entries where they turned the puck over, and the one scoring chance by Dads. If they were working hard on the third period push, VGK was working harder, especially after their fourth goal, when they essentially turtled, but they have the skill to do that and still hold the lead, even against a good offensive team like the Stars. It may still be true that good D usually beats good O.
VGK were really good with their sticks defensively. They all turn their sticks over and then use it better lean on the Stars players to impede them. There were constant hacks at our sticks, which were just short of slashing. It is something rarely seen by me anyway, not to that degree.
So, basically the same as last year. Big Vegas can beat smaller, faster Dallas. While the series isn't over, I am worried that the Stars not only be the first home team to lose game 1, as I predicted, but they may be this year's surprise early first round out, like TB and BOS over the last few years.
