.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
Reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights (45-29-8, 98 points) opens defense of their title as a No. 8 seed in a first-round series against the top-seeded Dallas Stars (52-21-9, 113 points), with Game 1 on Monday night in Dallas.
This will be a very familiar matchup as the Stars play the Knights for the second straight postseason, this time in the 2024 Western Conference First Round.
Last season, the Golden Knights overcame the Stars in six games in the Western Conference Final en route to lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
The Stars showed no signs of hangovers from previous season, though. They have been one of the best teams in the league and missed out on the President's Trophy by a single points. Dallas were the best team in the Western Conference and finished strongly, winning 12 of their final 14 regular-season games.
The Golden Knights finished the regular season as the second Wild Card in the Western Conference and were riding on a three-game winning run before their 4-1 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
Here, GOAL brings you all the information you need to know about this NHL match, including how to watch, team news, key results and head-to-head results.
Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights: Date & Puck-Drop time
| Date | Monday, April 22, 2024 |
| Time | 9:30 p.m. ET/ 6:30 p.m. PT |
| Arena | American Airlines Center |
| Location | Dallas, Texas |
The Dallas Stars will play the Vegas Golden Knights in a highly anticipated NHL matchup on Monday, April 22, 2024, at 9:30 p.m. ET/ 6:30 p.m. PT at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA.
How to watch Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights NHL Game on TV & stream live online
The Dallas Stars vs. Golden Knights NHL fixture will be broadcast live nationally on ESPN.
If you don't have cable TV, the best way to watch almost every NHL playoff game online is with DirecTV Stream Choice. Best of all, DirecTV Stream packages all start with a five-day free trial. You need to pay for DirecTV Stream's Ultimate plan ($119.99 per month) to get all the channels you need to watch games on national channels: ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT.
Dallas Stars vs Vegas Golden Knights Team News & Key Leaders
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars will be without the services of Defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (lower body), who will be a big miss having played 62 games and producing 12 points.
Jason Robertson led the Stars in scoring for the second straight season. Although numbers are down from his career-high 109-point season (46 goals, 63 assists) in 2022-23, that could probably be attributed to the Stars' balanced scoring more than any drop-off issues.
Robertson delivered 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) in 82 games, while he also led the Stars with 28 power-play points.
Jake Oettinger struggled early in the season but improved late in the season. In 54 games (53 starts), he went 35-14-4 with a 2.72 GAA,.905 save percentage, and three shutouts. Backup Scott Wedgewood went 16-7-5 with a 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage in 32 games (28 starts) during the regular season.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights could get a huge boost with the return of forward Mark Stone, who missed a big chunk of the regular season with a lacerated spleen picked up on February 20 against the Nashville Predators.
He was given the green light for contact and was a full participant at practice Saturday.
Excellent on even strength, power play and penalty kill situations, he could prove to be a game-changer and can play in all situations for the team.
Despite missing 19 regular season games this season, Jack Eichel has 68 points (31 goals, 37 assists), second only to leading scorer Jonathan Marchessault with 69 points (42 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games.
Eichel also leads the side with seven game-winning goals and 11 power-play goals.
Vegas have alternated between their two goaltenders over the final six games of the regular season, having received similar strong outputs from each. Logan Thompson is 25-14-5 with a 2.70 GAA, .908 save percentage and one shutout in 46 games (42 starts).
Adin Hill, who led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup last season, is 19-12-2 with a 2.71 GAA, .909 save percentage and two shutouts in 35 starts.
It will be interesting to see who gets the starting nod in the playoffs.
Head-to-Head Record
The Golden Knight swept the Stars in all three previous encounters this season. However, the Stars are a lot different from the team that last saw the champions on December 9.
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 11/10/23 | Dallas Stars 1-6 Vegas Golden Knights (AET) | NHL |
| 11/23/23 | Dallas Stars 1-2 Vegas Golden Knights (AET) | NHL |
| 10/18/23 | Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 Dallas Stars (AS) | NHL |
| 05/30/23 | Dallas Stars 0-6 Vegas Golden Knights | NHL |
| 05/28/23 | Vegas Golden Knights 2-4 Dallas Stars | NHL |