As Dallas Stars clinch playoffs, Vegas Golden Knights eliminated for the first time in franchise history

Apr 27, 2022, 23:15 EDT

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Elation on one end, massive disappointment on the other.

For the Dallas Stars, they clinched the final playoff spot in the league Wednesday night by heading to overtime with the Arizona Coyotes. In the same breath, it knocked the Vegas Golden Knights out of the playoffs for the first time in the franchises’ five years in the league.

News of the elimination is no doubt a crushing blow to not only the Golden Knights franchise but the fan base as well. After all, this was a team expected to go on another deep run in the playoffs. On top of it all, they bolstered the top-end talent on their team by making a massive trade for Jack Eichel.

But injuries cost them all season long. Max Pacioretty missed over 40 games, while Mark Stone was shelved for 26 games in a stretch that saw Vegas go 12-13-1. Netminder Robin Lehner missed time, as did veteran rearguard Alec Martinez.

According to ManGamesLost, the impact was massive. They reported that Vegas had lost almost 40 standings points this season due to injuries and health protocols. Had they been healthy all year, ManGamesLost projected them to finish with roughly 130 points in the standings.

While the Golden Knights will have a long offseason to think about where things went wrong, the Stars will now prepare for the first round of the playoffs. They’ve had a tremendous season led offensively by an elite top line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski.

Their first-round matchup isn’t set, but coming into Wednesday nights games, they had a 56 percent chance of meeting the Colorado Avalanche, and a 41 percent chance of meeting the Calgary Flames.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.