April 23 (UPI) -- Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg fired a shot from the face-off circle to beat goaltender Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators in Game 6, sending the team to the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Stars and Predators had peppered each goalie with shots throughout the night to limited success. Stars goaltender Ben Bishop turned away 47 shots and Rinne stopped 49 of 51 attempts. On the 51st shot in overtime, Klingberg found the back of the net after beating Rinne on his glove side.
Stars forward Tyler Seguin dropped a pass to Alexander Radulov near the boards. Radulov threw a cross-ice pass and found a wide-open Klingberg. The defenseman lined up the shot and rifled the game-winning goal to clinch the series for the Stars on Monday night.
"Exciting, for sure," Klingberg told reporters. "We had good momentum and we obviously know we have such a good goalie. He keeps saving the pucks, and I saw that I could join the rush and [Radulov] made a good play."
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The Stars clinched their first playoff series victory at home in 11 years. The last time Dallas clinched a playoff series on home ice came in 2008 against the San Jose Sharks in the second round. The Stars needed four overtimes for a 2-1 win.
The Predators grabbed a first-period lead after Austin Watson's score. Stars forward Blake Comeau answered in the second period with his first goal of the series.
Bishop and Rinne were perfect and stopped every shot after Comeau's tally, until Klingberg's overtime rocket propelled the Stars into the next round.
The Stars play the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
