'Ageless' Pavelski saves Stars in Game 4 of West Final

DALLAS -- Time doesn't seem to be catching up with Joe Pavelski.

At 38 years, 318 days, the forward became the oldest player to score an overtime goal in an elimination game to keep the Dallas Stars alive with a 3-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at American Airlines Center on Thursday.

Pavelski won it on a power play at 3:18 with a one-timer from the left face-off circle for his ninth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The record had been held by Chris Kunitz (37 years, 241 days), who did it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 3-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final.

"You're just living in the moment and trying to create what you can. They're very exciting games you play in and great opportunities to still be playing," Pavelski said.

Dallas was awarded a power play in the extra period when Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb was penalized for high-sticking forward Ty Dellandrea at 2:28. Pavelski cashed in and delivered the Stars their first win in five overtime games this postseason, including the first two of the conference final.

It was Pavelski's 73rd career playoff goal, most among active players and tied for 13th on the NHL's all-time list with Dino Ciccarelli.

"He's ageless, you know? What do you say about him?" Stars coach Peter DeBoer said. "I've seen that movie over and over again. [It] never gets old, but he lives for those moments, and he wants to be in those situations. Always has and delivers almost every time."

Dallas trails 3-1 in the best-of-7 series and will try to avoid elimination again in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"We haven't had the greatest success in overtime," Pavelski said. "It was still a moment where we wanted to attack, we had an opportunity and we wanted to go. There was a little bit of pressure there for us. Think once the penalty happens, you know it's a great opportunity to create more off it, get some looks. Probably wasn't the cleanest [power play] to start early, but we retrieved a puck or two and found a little space. It was nice to see that one go in, for sure.

"They've won a couple of overtime games on us. It's been a pretty tight series, so we just need to keep staying with kind of that mindset. There was a lot of sacrifice from guys, big blocks along the way and key saves and fundamentals out there tonight. We have to go out and do it again."

Much like DeBoer, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger wasn't surprised to see Pavelski deliver another clutch moment.

"Who else?" Oettinger said.