DALLAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars are getting ready to go into battle for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series.
In Game 1, the Vegas Golden Knights got the the 4-3 win to go ahead of Dallas, including a goal less than two minutes into the game from captain Mark Stone in his first game back after recovering from a lacerated spleen.
Ahead of Game 2, head coach Bruce Cassidy announced that Nicolas Hague is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He said Alec Martinez will take Hague's spot tonight.
"We expect predictable, consistent play. He played all of them [playoff games] for us last year so this is nothing new to him," Cassidy said. "He played a lot with Whitey at the end of the year. He's good on the penalty kill, will add some offense. We feel we're deep at that position so it's not going to change our strategy or how we're going to play."
Martinez said he's ready and just wants to do what he can to help the team win.
"You rely on your experience. You know what playoff hockey is like. It's, obviously, maybe not even a notch, maybe two or three notches above what regular season is like. It's different in a seven-game series, playing the same team," Martinez said. "There's, obviously, a little bit more emotion. There's more physicality. There's more animosity built throughout a series but I think this group has done a good job of showing composure on that side of things."
Golden Knights players and coaches were asked about the atmosphere in Dallas after Stars fans booed Stone throughout the night.
WATCH: Players, coaches react to Stars fans booing Mark Stone
"Just the overall temperature of the game probably goes up in Game 2, especially for the home team," Cassidy said. "So we've got to be ready for that, be on our toes for the physicality that comes with it, sort of the quick checking that comes with it, the quick transition, the puck battles, races, those all go into it. That's what we're expecting. To be quite honest, I expect we'll be better too."
Milestone Watch
Jack Eichel is two points shy of 30 playoff points. Tonight, he could join Alex Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, and Sidney Crosby as the fifth active player to reach 30 career playoff points in 24 or fewer games.
With Monday's win, Cassidy has the second most Stanley Cup Playoff wins in Golden Knights history with 17. He trails former VGK head coach and current Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer who won 22 playoff games while leading VGK.
WATCH: Vegas Golden Knights fans weigh in ahead of Game 2 against Dallas Stars