Joe Pavelski scores OT winner as Stars stay alive in Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Dallas Stars were facing elimination on Thursday, but came through with a 3-2 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Joe Pavelski of Plover, Wisconsin scored his fourth career Stanley Cup Playoff overtime winner at 3:18 of the extra period from Miro Heiskanen of Espoo, Finland and Roope Hintz of Tampere, Finland. Pavelski’s goal came on the power-play as Brayden McNabb of Davidson, Saskatchewan was given a two minute infraction at 2:28 of extra time for high-sticking Stars center Ty Dellandrea of Toronto, Ontario.

High-Sticking Penalty

McNabb’s overtime high-sticking penalty was only the third penalty called in the entire game. McNabb in fact had a high-sticking penalty in the first period and Dellandrea had a slashing penalty in the second period. It took the referees a considerable amount of time to make a decision on the McNabb overtime penalty. In fact, according to Elliotte Friedman of Rogers Sportsnet, the penalty was mentioned on the Jumbotron at the American Airlines Center in Dallas before the penalty was called officially.

Two-goal night for Jason Robertson

Robertson had the two regulation goals for the Stars. The first came at 15:43 of the first period from Heiskanen and Hintz on the power-play with McNabb in the penalty box to tie the game at one. The second came at 17:21 of the second period from Esa Lindell of Vantaa, Finland and Max Domi of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Speaking of  Max Domi, Max’s father Tie was in a Dallas suite on Thursday with two notable guests. They were boxing legend Mike Tyson and professional wrestling legend Ric Flair.

Pavelski’s three prior Playoff Overtime Winners

Pavelski’s first overtime winner in the Stanley Cup Playoffs came at 1:05 of the extra period in a 3-2 San Jose Sharks win over the Dallas Stars on May 2, 2008. That was followed by the OT winner in a 2-1 Sharks win our the Colorado Avalanche on April 20, 2010, and in a 3-2 Sharks win over the Los Angeles Kings on April 14, 2011. Game five of the 2023 Western Conference Finals is Saturday in Vegas with the Golden Knights leading 3-1.