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FINISH THEM! Golden Knights vs. Stars, Game 4: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

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Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars Game 4

The Vegas Golden Knights can punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final with one more win. They lead the Dallas Stars in the best-of-seven Western Conference Final, three games to none. One more, and they’ll face the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup. First, they must be the Dallas Stars one more time.

Game 4 is Thursday at American Airlines Center. The puck drop is just after 5 p.m. PT.

While the Dallas fans trashed the ice with beer and dumped popcorn on players, the Golden Knights dumped the Stars in Game 3 Tuesday. The game was mostly decided in the first seven minutes after the Golden Knights scored a goal about one minute into the game, then Stars captain Jamie Benn took a stupid cross-checking major penalty against Mark Stone.

Benn was suspended for two games Wednesday. He will not play in Game 4 or 5.

The Golden Knights capitalized on the major penalty, scoring late on the power play. And just over one minute after that, they scored an even-strength goal when William Carrier whistled a backhander over Stars goalie Jake Oettinger.

Oettinger was pulled. The Golden Knights led 3-0 and cruised to a 4-0 win but not without some fan hijinx as the paying public littered the ice near the end of the second period in protest of a penalty against Max Domi.

Domi was fined $5000 for slashing Stone Wednesday. On the ice, he was given a misconduct penalty on top of a pair of minor penalties. Nevertheless, the Dallas fans wasted a lot of expensive concession snacks and beer.

Fans dumped popcorn on Adin Hill as he returned for the third period.

“Everything hit me tonight,” Hill said with a smile.

Hill earned his first playoff shutout and fifth straight win. The Golden Knights haven’t lost since Game 4 against the Edmonton Oilers in Round Two. Hill has backstopped all of the wins.

Jake Oettinger is the likely starter for Dallas. We’ll update the story after the morning skate.

Without Benn, the Stars’ lines are jumbled. Also, according to coach Pete DeBoer, Joe Pavelski was absent from the morning skate but will play. Rhett Gardner looks like he will slot in for Benn Thursday.

Expected Vegas Golden Knights Lines

Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault

Smith-Karlsson-Roy

Howden-Stephenson-Stone

Carrier-Blueger-Kolesar

Defense:

McNabb-Theodore

Martinez-Pietrangelo

Hague-Whitecloud

Goalie: 

Adin Hill

Expected Dallas Stars Lines:

Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski

Gardner-Domi-Dellandrea

Marchment-Johnston-Seguin

Olofsson-Faksa-Glendening

Defense:

Suter – Heiskanen

Harley – Hanley

Lindell – Hakanpää

Goalie: 

Oettinger

Special Teams:

Golden Knights Power play: 18.4%, 9th

Golden Knights Penalty Killing: 64.3%, 14th

Stars Power Play: 29.2%, 5th

Stars Penalty Killing: 82.2%, 6th

Vegas Golden Knights Game Notes:

The Golden Knights’ three goals in 7:10 to begin Game 3 were the fastest at the start of a Conference Final/Semifinal game since 1989 (Chicago Blackhawks).

Hill stopped all 34 shots in Game 3 to improve to 6-1 in the playoffs with a .940 save percentage and 1.60 goals-against average (GAA).

Hill has stopped 49 consecutive Dallas shots, including four scoreless periods.

Ivan Barbashev recorded the first three-point game (1-2-3) of his postseason career Tuesday night.

The Golden Knights are 43-3 all-time when scoring at least three goals in the playoffs.

How to Watch:

TV: ESPN, ESPN+

Radio: Fox Sports 98.9 FM/1340 AM Deportes 1460 AM

Golden Knights Bets

Bet $5 at DraftKings and get the instant $150 promo. Click here.

We hit the parlay on Tuesday. Our advice was the VGK and the under. You’re welcome! We’re now 3-1 on our four predictions for the series, but this is the toughest one yet.

Will the Dallas Stars lay down, or will they give it all? They looked pretty beaten in Game 3. This could be the Golden Knights’ best chance — weather an early storm, then break them.

We’re not going to parlay tonight because the outcome is sketchy. However, the Under has been looking good. We’re taking the Under 5.5 (-110).

The other bet we like is the Golden Knights on the Puckline. If the Golden Knights are ahead, Dallas will have to pull the goalie no matter what. If you take the Golden Knights -1.5, it pays +245.