Finding a way: Stars reclaim series lead in wild OT victory

There is a method to the Stars' madness.
Bend but don't break.
Rely on your entire lineup.
Go after it in overtime.
Thursday's 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights was a perfect example of all of that.

The Stars survived a vicious third period, thanks to a heroic performance by goalie Anton Khudobin, who had 38 saves and battled through some moments of pain.

They not only received a huge night from Khudobin, but also got a big game from the top line, which had been quiet for the first two games of the series, as well as big games from Jamie Oleksiak, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.
And they scored just 31 seconds into overtime, never allowing the Golden Knights the chance to use the momentum they gained in the third period.
"We just feel like our group has faced a lot this year," said Stars captain Jamie Benn. "We're resilient, have found a way to get things done."
It has been one of the most bizarre and entertaining playoff runs in franchise history. Never mind that the team is playing in the Edmonton bubble in front of no fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stars have battled back from a 3-0 deficit to win Game 6 against Calgary, 7-3; have received a hat trick from unknown rookie Joel Kiviranta to win Game 7 against Colorado in overtime; and now has a game in which it received a brekaaway goal from defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, withstood a failed challenge and the ensuing penalty kill, and got a perfect shot from Alexander Radulov in overtime.
And yet … it all makes perfectsense.

Dallas has faced adversity all season. It started the year 1-7-1, saw the head coach fired in December, and then has become a never-say-quit dynamo in the playoffs. Each successful stare-down with hardship seems to give the team nerves of steel, and that makes the next challenge seem easier to handle. So when the Stars are outshot 18-4 in the third period and hang on to get to overtime, they weren't fazed one bit.
Instead, they regrouped during the intermission and came out with a purpose.
Dallas has been on the attack in every overtime it has faced in the postseason, outshooting the competition 17-3. It only needed to be 1-0 on Thursday, as Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski helped get the puck to Radulov, who was open on the right wing. The mercurial veteran floated into the zone and snapped a perfect wrister to the far post for his eighth goal of the playoffs and fourth game-winner.
Stars interim coach Rick Bowness said the team's philosophy is to go after the win in overtime.
"Let's go for it. It's one shot either way," Bowness said. "That's the message, don't sit back, attack. We're at our best when we initiate and we're skating and we're going north. That's the message, let's go for it."
Thursday's victory was just so many amazing moments that all came together. First, Bowness reassembled the top line of Benn, Radulov and Tyler Seguin and received an immediate boost in energy. The line had been in a slump and was broken up for three games. But on this night, the trio finished with two goals, two assists and 10 shots on goal. That was huge.

"They're our top players, and we scored one goal in two games, so clearly we had to shake it up a little bit," Bowness said. "We know they've been together a lot and you go to them and say, `OK, it's time to get this thing rolling.' We challenged all of our veterans. That line got us going, and that's what we needed."
Even so, they still couldn't break Vegas goalie Robin Lehner, who set a franchise record shutout streak of 171;27. That task fell to Oleksiak, who was sprung on a breakaway with a pass from Miro Heiskanen. Oleksiak broke in and slipped a slick backhand shot past Lehner at the 19:43 mark of the second period. It was a heady move by Oleksiak, who now has four goals in the playoffs, and also a perfect example of the Stars activating their defensemen.
Bowness and the coaching staff worked on getting the defensemen to be more aggressive in their return to play training camp, and the Stars are now averaging three goals a game because of it. Dallas leads the playoffs in defensemen point scoring, and has received big plays in big situations. Oleksiak and Andrej Sekera assisted on Joel Kiviranta's overtime winner to beat Colorado in Game 7. And Thursday's Oleksiak rush was another great example of not being afraid of the moment.
"I was kind of sucking wind on that breakaway, it wasn't the fastest breakaway," Oleksiak said. "It was just a couple of good breaks there. That's playoff hockey, they're not all going to be pretty."
Of course, the harder you work, the luckier you get, and the Stars have been working on making plays just like that.
Likewise, the harder you work, the easier it is to overcome adversity. After Seguin was stoned on a glorious scoring chance by Lehner early in the third period, John Klingberg threw a puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty, handing the Golden Knights a fresh dose of momentum. Blake Comeau followed with a hooking penalty, and Vegas tied the game when Shea Theodore scored on the power play.

Benn came back and gave the Stars a 2-1 lead midway through the third period, and then Mark Stone scored on a play in which he appeared to interfere with Khudobin. The Stars challenged, but lost when the NHL decided Khudobin was outside the crease and that Stone's contact was incidental. Because the Stars challenged, the score was not only tied, but Vegas got a power play.
Khudobin was spectacular on the ensuing penalty kill, and that helped get the game to overtime.
Great goaltending has also been a huge part of the Stars' formula all season, and they don't win this game if Khudobin is just good. He had to be amazing.
"We don't get into overtime without him," Bowness said. "He made some huge saves, especially on the penalty kill after we challenged, and so give him a lot of credit tonight. We don't win it without his play."
And they don't win it without Radulov's amazing ability to come up big at just the right time.

"Pav saw me flying, well, skating on the other side of the ice," Radulov said of the quick smart pass from Pavelski. "It was kind of nobody there, so he made that good pass and then I get into the zone. I just closed my eyes and shoot it."
Radulov said later he was joking, and that his eyes were indeed open, but that's just how things have gone for the Stars this year. Get pushed to the brink, find a way to battle back, and then have a good laugh over it.
Now, Dallas is up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series and at the very least gaining confidence that they can make it to the Stanley Cup Final.
Then again, they really don't want to think thatfar ahead. That's been another key to their success this year -- live in the moment.
"Take it and run," Bowness said.
They've done it before … more than a few times.

Game 4: Stars vs. Golden Knights (Dallas leads 2-1)

Saturday, 7 p.m. CT
TV:NBC, Ch. 5
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.