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Denis Gurianov's OT winner sends Stars into Stanley Cup Final
For the first time in two decades, the Dallas Stars are off to the Stanley Cup Final.
Denis Gurianov was the overtime hero, scoring three minutes and 36 seconds into the first overtime period, as the Stars eliminated the top-seeded Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Gurianov one-timed a feed from John Klingberg from inside the faceoff circle with the man advantage for the series winner, his ninth goal of the postseason.
WE. ARE. NOT. GOING. HOME.#GoStars pic.twitter.com/FpTptDVYEY
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) September 15, 2020
Dallas trailed 2-0 well into the third period, but captain Jamie Benn got his team on the board, then Joel Kiviranta scored his fourth goal of the playoffs with just under four minutes remaining to force the game into overtime.
This is Dallas’ first Stanley Cup appearance since 2000.
Denis Gurianov of the @DallasStars is the fifth rookie in NHL history to score a series-clinching goal in overtime which propelled his team into the #StanleyCup Final (also Pep Kelly in 1935, Jacques Lemaire in 1968, Darren Helm in 2009 & Adam Henrique in 2012). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/qTp1pjhC7r
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) September 15, 2020
It has been a rollercoaster year for the Stars to say the least, firing head coach Jim Montgomery in December 2019. It was later revealed that Montgomery’s relationship with alcohol contributed to his firing, and he was replaced by Rick Bowness. Bowness recorded a 20-13-5 record during the regular season.
Gurianov has shown a flair for the dramatic throughout the playoffs. Selected 12th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Gurianov was inching perilously close to being labeled as a bust, before exploding for four goals in Game 6 of his team’s second-round series against the Calgary Flames.
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