Bruce Cassidy tossed up the ol' line blender on Sunday, mixing up the lines and coming up with new concoctions. That included Mitch Marner being a center and Reilly Smith re-entering the lineup. Would that be enough to get the Golden Knights a much-needed victory on Sunday?
Believe it or not, it did... to a degree!
With the Golden Knights viciously attacking the Dallas Stars on the doorstep, Reilly Smith pounced on a free puck for the game-winning goal. The Vegas Golden Knights beat the Stars, 3-2, putting them back in second place in the Pacific Division. That's monumental, considering that the Pacific Division has been toilet water mixed with a bad case of chili diarrhea (extra beans, too).
Brayden McNabb got the party going with a first-period goal and Ivan Barbashev also cashed in with a power play goal in the second period. On the Dallas Stars side, it was—who else?—known Golden Knights killer Wyatt Johnston on the power play and Justin Hryckowian banking in a rebound off Adin Hill. It took a Herculean effort from Casey DeSmith to keep things interesting. After all, he stopped 30 of 33 shots.
Luckily for the Golden Knights, that wasn't enough to keep Vegas away. But it was more than tinkering with a few things that led to a Golden Knights victory. Some key moments emerged that led to Vegas getting a crucial road win (and the first time Vegas won on the road from a personal account).
Adin Hill makes a crucial Scorpion save that keeps the game tied
In the third period, the Dallas Stars storm down the ice and attack the Golden Knights net. They're looking to score and swing the momentum in their favor. They come within feet of getting a 3-2 lead when Adin Hill does the Scorpion.
ADIN HILL 🦂
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 23, 2026
After having a horrible Thursday night against the Utah Mammoth by not registering a single save, he played better. Of course, that says a lot when you don't stop any of the three shots heading your way. But 13 saves on 15 shots is also nice for the netminder.
Part of Sunday's game was about keeping the slot away from your opponent and preventing them from doing damage. It was the vintage brand of hockey that Golden Knights fans have grown accustomed to over the years. It also helps that your goaltender doesn't let the first three shots in, too. That's important, you know.
The Golden Knights kill off a four-minute high sticking penalty in the second period
Jack Eichel gets called for a double-minor on Mavrik Bourque in the second period, where the Stars forward goes crashing through the ice. You can hear Golden Knights fans collectively groan as the atmosphere shifts. Suddenly, that vaunted Stars power play is expected to score...
...Except they didn't. Through successfully bidding the penalty kill time and making successful exits, the Golden Knights managed to wait out the penalty and get back to even strength. Crisis averted for the golden guys.
Let's be honest. This was another absent game for Eichel and Stone, so perhaps another line reshuffling is in order to get them going. However, the penalty kill continues to take strides, completing a strong special teams unit that has impressed throughout the year.