Hot Stars aim to eliminate defending champion Golden Knights

The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights head into Friday night's Game 6 in Las Vegas against the Dallas Stars in their Western Conference first-round series needing a victory to keep alive their hopes of repeating as champs. Vegas never found itself in an elimination contest en route to series wins over Winnipeg, Edmonton, Dallas and Florida while capturing the first Stanley Cup in franchise history last season. It's the first time since June 24, 2021, when they lost at Montreal, 3-2 in overtime in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup semifinals, that the Golden Knights have played in an elimination game.