Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson (36) blocks a shot as Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene (95) watches during the second period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series at T-Mobile arena Monday, April 29, 2024.
Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 3:16 p.m.
It's win or stay home for the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday at T-Mobile Arena.
Three straight losses to the Dallas Stars have made Game 6 in Las Vegas, which will be broadcast on TNT at 7 p.m., an elimination game for the Golden Knights.
This is the first time Vegas has faced elimination since Game 6 of the 2021 Stanley Cup semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens.
It's the first time they will face elimination at home since losing Game 5 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals to the Washington Capitals.
While the Golden Knights have only played in six elimination games in their history, holding a 2-4 record, head coach Bruce Cassidy is confident in the group.
"When the stakes go up, our group has responded well," Cassidy said. "Last year, we were the 1 seed and this year we had to fight to get into the playoffs. I know that this team will be ready to play."
"You've just got to play, and you've got to play well,” he said.
Cassidy said he believes the team hasn't played its best game yet and has another other level it can reach.
With multiple line-up changes and players coming off of injured reserve, the team hasn't had a chance to come together, Cassidy said.
"You make assumptions that this team has another level because they haven't played together," Cassidy said. "Game 1 was the first time they've played together, and we've seen pockets of it throughout this series."
"We just haven't done it for long enough or well enough,” he said.
Cassidy has said the team's only "bad" performance was in Game 3. Outside of that, the Golden Knights have been there every game.
In a series with a razor-thin margin, small things like puck management and discipline have cost Vegas games.
"We've got to be more consistent for 60 minutes," Cassidy said. "No team plays a full 60-minute game every night, but we've got to get closer to that."
