Stars edge Kraken in Game 7 to advance to Western Conference Final

The Dallas Stars defeated the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in Monday's Game 7 to march on to the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Roope Hintz pickpocketed Jamie Oleksiak to open the scoring for the Stars late in the second period. Rookie Wyatt Johnston went upstairs with a slick backhand for a key insurance tally midway through the third period that turned out to be the eventual game-winner.

Johnston, who turned 20 on Sunday, became the youngest player in Stanley Cup Playoff history to score a series-clinching goal in Game 7. Jaromir Jagr, who did so at 20 years, 76 days with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1992 division semifinals, previously held the distinction.

Oliver Bjorkstrand made things interesting, getting the Kraken on the board with 17 seconds left in regulation. But it was too little too late, as Dallas held on for the victory.

Both goalies played excellently, but Jake Oettinger earned the victory for Dallas by stopping 22 of 23 shots. He wasn't tested often, as Seattle generated just seven high-danger chances in the game compared to Dallas' 17, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"It's great," Oettinger said of his team's defensive effort, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "Just, you know, hangin' out."

Miro Heiskanen shined bright on the Stars' blue line, logging a game-high 32:06 in the contest. The Stars controlled 66.57% of the expected goals when Heiskanen was on the ice at even strength.

The Western Conference Final will be a revenge series of sorts for Stars bench boss Pete DeBoer, who coached the Golden Knights the previous three seasons.

"There's a lot to unpack there," DeBoer said, laughing. "I think we'll just enjoy tonight and talk about that as we go forward."

Dallas and Vegas met in the 2020 Western Conference Final, with DeBoer's Golden Knights falling to the then Rick Bowness-led Stars in five games.

DeBoer now owns a career 7-0 record in Game 7s and has advanced to at least the conference finals during his first year on the job in each of his last four NHL stops. He took Vegas to the West final in 2020, the San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, and the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. He's yet to win a ring, though.

Dallas' lone Stanley Cup victory came in 1999.

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