The top free agent of the Dallas Stars’ era under Jim Nill wins Game 3 in overtime
The Dallas Stars won Game 3 of the West Finals due mostly to their backup goalie, but the game only ended because of the forward who does not receive the credit he’s due.
Time to show Alexander Radulov the type of love reserved for Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg.
One of the reasons Stars GM Jim Nill is one of the three finalists for the NHL’s GM of the year award is the signing of Radulov to a five-year contract in July of ‘17, and now goalie Anton Khudobin.
Save for Rangers pitcher Lance Lynn, few free agent signees to the local teams have been as good as Radulov since he moved here.
It was Radulov who scored the game-winning goal 31 seconds into overtime to win Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against Las Vegas, 3-2.
“I got into the zone, closed my eyes and shot it,” Radulov said on a Zoom call with the media after the game. It was his third career OT playoff goal, and it was the only shot in overtime.
“No, come on. I didn’t close my eyes. He’s a good goalie. Not a lot of room. I was lucky to beat him.”
The Stars lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Saturday night.
Radulov has eight goals this postseason, tied for the team lead.
Now, the only reason Radulov had a chance to win this game in overtime was the play of Khudobin.
Khudobin didn’t stand on his head. He stood on two or three hairs on top of his head.
Khudobin, who signed a two-year deal with the Stars in July of ‘18, continues to make every Stars fan hope that regular starter Ben Bishop remains classified as “unfit to play.”
After a scoreless first period, the game eventually opened up as the teams traded goals but Khudobin kept his team from losing by three goals, at least, in regulation.
Las Vegas had 40 shots in the game to 23 for the Stars. Vegas outshot the Stars 18-4 in the final period.
“We don’t get anywhere without ‘Dob tonight,” said Stars captain Jamie Benn, who scored the Stars’ second goal of the game that gave them a 2-1 lead in the third period. “Unreal performance.”
The way this series is evolving, should the Stars advance to the Stanley Cup Final they will do so because of their goalie. Again, the backup.
“We’re not in overtime without him,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said.
The Stars are just not getting a lot of offense, or even zone time, against Vegas. Vegas had four power plays in the game to the Stars’ one.
The Stars are good, but Vegas is a better team.
The Stars scored 1 goal in Game 1, and won. They scored 0 goals in Game 2.
They are playing a goalie in Vegas’ Robin Lehner who has five shutouts in the playoffs.
When defenseman Jamie Oleksiak scored on a breakaway goal with 17 seconds remaining in the second period, it ended the Stars’ goalless streak at 144 minutes. Lehner was riding a scoreless streak that ended at 171 minutes and 27 seconds.
“It’s the way it’s going to go,” Bowness said. “To win in the playoffs, your goaltending has to be your difference maker.”
Khubon stopped a 53-second 5-on-3 in the third period, and was the beneficiary of two shots in the game that hit the goal posts.
Benn gave the Stars a 2-1 lead at the 7:35 mark of the third period, and that lead held for about five minutes until the barrage of shots eventually beat Khudobin. At one point it looked like he may be hurt, but he said after the game he is fine.
It’s hockey. What do you expect him to say?
The Stars were simply holding on to get to the locker room for the overtime.
When they came out, the difference maker wasn’t their goalie, but Alexander Radulov.
