(KTNV) — The Golden Knights expected the Stars to come in with a vengeance, but this game felt like it was over before it even started.
Just two minutes into the game, Jonathan Marchessault continued to play like "playoff Marchy" and gets the first goal.
BLOG: Golden Knights shut out Dallas Stars
Just a few seconds later, Stars captain Jaime Benn cross-checks VGK captain Mark Stone, then hits him while he's down.
Benn gets the game misconduct and the boot.
The Knights make them pay later when Ivan Barbashev gets one in to make it 2-0.
Then it's William Carrier with his first goal of the postseason, and it is all VGK.
We go to the second, and right when another power play ends, Alex Pietrangelo snipes one from the point to make it 4-0 and it gets dead silent In American Airlines Center.
Things got chippy right before the end of the period with Nic Hague and Max Domi. Both get penalized and Stars fans did not like that, as they start throwing trash onto the ice.
Knights hold them off in the third, and that would be the end.
The Golden Knights destroy the stars 4-0 and Adin Hill gets the shutout with 34 saves.
The Knights now have a 3-0 lead in the series.
Players and coaches say they played as good of a game as they had this postseason, but now it's on to getting that 12th win.
"You know what it is a team effort, and I thought that we didn't take a shift off tonight," Hill said. "I thought our commitment to the D-zone was huge, and yeah we never let them get that kind of momentum going, and I think that's why they got so frustrated."
"Feels good to be honest, but I think it's going to be the hardest game for us," Barbasehv said. "I think it's definitely nice to be up 3-0 and it gives you some confidence just moving forward, but they have nothing to lose, so they are going to push us as hard as they can. I think it's going to be up to us to dictate the game."
"We feel like we're doing something to put pressure on them," VGK head coach Bruce Cassidy said. "It wasn't just luck or we got a fortunate break. We did it by playing the way we want to play. That's the encouraging part."
The Knights will now have a chance to sweep the Stars and secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday for game 4.
Game 4 is scheduled at 5 p.m.
