Two of the NHL’s heavyweights were matched up in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, and the series between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights has been the most impressive of the bracket thus far.
To no one’s surprise, the two clubs have reached Game 7 (7:30 p.m. ET, TBS), with a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche waiting for the victor.
Which players will be most critical to their team’s success? And who will win the game?
Who is the one key player you’ll be watching for the Stars?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Jake Oettinger. The biggest question facing Oettinger at this moment is: What more does this man need to do to help the Stars reach the second round? The answer might be a shutout, given the tight margins of this series.
His lowest save percentage since Game 1 has been .920, and that came in that 3-1 loss in Game 2. But since then, Oettinger has posted an overall save percentage of .944, including a .960 in a Game 6 loss. Getting goals from depth portions of the lineup will certainly help his cause, but the fact that he nearly literally has to be perfect says so much about a series that’s been separated by so little.