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The Wraparound: Golden Knights need key players to wake up vs. Stars

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Anson Carter, Patrick Sharp and Kathryn Tappen discuss the Dallas-Vegas series so far, where Jamie Benn is serving as a physical presence for the Stars while Shea Theodore is providing key offense for the Golden Knights.

The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll break down Saturday’s NHL playoff game with the all-important television and live streaming information included.

Check out the NHL Bubble Wrap for details on Friday’s playoff game.

• Want to know when the 2020 NHL Draft will take place, and when the free agent frenzy will begin? The NHL announced those official dates.

• Nathan MacKinnon won the 2020 Lady Byng Trophy. We’ll see if MacKinnon adds any other awards to his trophy case.

• The Penguins traded forward Nick Bjugstad to the Wild. Stemming back to the Jason Zucker trade, the two teams have swapped a lot of assets recently.

SATURDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF GAME

Game 4: Golden Knights vs. Stars (DAL leads 2-1) - 8 p.m. ET, NBC (livestream)

For almost two full periods, Game 3 of Stars - Golden Knights was scoreless. Then Jamie Oleksiak scored an unlikely breakaway goal to end Robin Lehner’s new Golden Knights record shutout streak at 171:27.

With that late 1-0 goal ending the second period, the twists and turns really ratcheted up in the third.

Shea Theodore got the Golden Knights on the board with a power-play goal, making Game 3 the first time both teams scored against each other. From there, Jamie Benn loomed large, beating Lehner five hole for a 2-1 lead.

In a moment that inspired some controversy, the Golden Knights’ tying goal withstood a goalie interference review. That said, Anton Khudobin was brilliant during the ensuing Vegas power play, and really during Game 3 overall.

After Benn almost scored in the final seconds of regulation, sending a shot that may have shaken up Lehner, Alexander Radulov won it for the Stars just 31 seconds into overtime.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

As always, the goalies will be worth watching.

Are both Lehner and Khudobin healthy? Again, Lehner looked shaken up after that Benn attempt, and allowed that Radulov goal on the next shot he faced. Khudobin, meanwhile, seemed banged up while making some high-difficulty saves, especially during that Golden Knights power play after the 2-2 goal.

During multiple spans of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, people have questioned top Dallas Stars scorers. But now might be the time to cast a critical eye on leading Golden Knights -- or at least remember just how hard it can be to score during the postseason.

Both Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith are suffering through nine-game goal droughts. Mark Stone just ended a six-game slump of his own, while Max Pacioretty’s dry spell is at six.

Those players have often come close, but coming up close only matters so much at this level. If the end of the last contest presents a pattern, then expect Game 4 of Stars - Golden Knights to be hard-hitting, and thrilling.

[Full NHL Conference Finals schedule]

SUNDAY’S NHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Game 4: Islanders vs. Lightning (TB leads 2-1) - 3 p.m. ET, NBC (livestream)

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