Stars used depth to reach Stanley Cup Final by defeating Golden Knights

The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2019-20 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher. Rob Zettler and Rob Cookson will take turns providing insight throughout the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In this edition, Zettler, a former assistant with the San Jose Sharks, breaks down Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, taking a look at how the Dallas Stars came back for a 3-2 overtime victory against the Vegas Golden Knights to win the series and earn a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

What I liked about the comeback by the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Monday was how everybody played a part.
I don't know if anybody would have considered them a deep team before this series, but they showed they are with not only some of the players who scored, especially rookie forwards Joel Kiviranta and Denis Gurianov, but more importantly with the players who made critical plays.
RELATED: [Full Golden Knights vs. Stars series coverage]
The penalty kill was really good and important, blocking shots and getting sticks on everything. The Vegas Golden Knights went 0-for-3 with four shots on goal on the power play in Game 5.
The Stars also started to use their shooters at the point more in the third period, and that helped them because that's what they are. They have some high-end skill, but forwards Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski score their goals from in front of the net, on a deflection or rebound off a point shot.
That's just what they do, and it proved to be the difference as the game went on.
Corey Perry played a critical role even though the veteran forward was limping off the ice three or four times.
Not only was Perry in front of the net on the game-winner from Gurianov, he helped set up the play when he prevented Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez from clearing the puck. He got just enough of his stick on Martinez's stick, and the Stars were able to control the puck and score.
That's a veteran player making a big play that mostly went unnoticed, but it ended up being huge. And that shows their depth along with Kiviranta and Gurianov scoring goals.
Those aren't front-line players like Benn, Tyler Seguin, Pavelski and Alexander Radulov, but each goal came from Dallas' second power-play unit, which came through when the first unit struggled.
And goalie Anton Khudobin played well again with 34 saves. He keeps going. It's unbelievable.
I would have given the edge to the Golden Knights through two periods. They led 1-0 after two and 2-0 15 seconds in the third, but Dallas deserved to come back in the third, tie it and earn the win.

That's the Stars, though. They've got enough grit and enough players who are willing to do some of the dirty work, which makes it hard to score against them.
They're getting in lanes and blocking shots. They do a good job of keeping teams on the perimeter, and if you let them hang around long enough, they can take advantage. They're used to playing one-goal games like the four they won in this series, including two in overtime.
On a personal level, I know Stars coach Rick Bowness a little bit, worked with him in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and I'm really happy for him. I was really happy to see the joy on his face when Gurianov scored the overtime winner. That was cool.
He's loved by everyone in hockey and there's a reason why. He's good people. He's treated people the right way for a long time, so it's good to see him having some success. He's a good man and he's very deserving of getting to the Stanley Cup Final.
Looking ahead, the Stars clearly want the New York Islanders to push the Eastern Conference Final to Game 7. The Lightning lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 and can join the Stars in the Stanley Cup Final with a win in Game 5 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, the hub city for the conference finals and Cup Final, on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
You don't get to pick your opponent, but right now the Islanders would be a better matchup for the Stars only because the Lightning are deep, and they've got talent that can be very creative and can score goals in many different ways.
But I didn't think the Stars could play the way they did against the Golden Knights, keeping them on the perimeter and off the score sheet, and winning the low-scoring games, because I thought Vegas would be too skilled and too heavy.
If the Stars could do it against the Golden Knights and win the series in five games, there is no reason why they can't do the same against anybody else in the NHL, be it the Lightning or the Islanders in Cup Final.