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May 22 (UPI) -- Chandler Stephenson corralled a loose puck and tapped it into the net, sounding the horn a final time for a dramatic Vegas Golden Knights overtime win and 2-0 lead on the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference finals. Stephenson's score occurred just 72 seconds into the bonus period of the 3-2 victory Sunday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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"To be able to get a game-winner is pretty special," Stephenson told reporters. "It hasn't hit me yet that it happened. It's cool and to go up 2-0 [in the series] is important for our group."
Forward Mark Stone started the final sequence when he slid a pass to defenseman Shea Theodore above the right circle. Theodore ripped a shot toward the net, which was denied by goaltender Jake Oettinger. The puck then bounced out to Oettinger's right.
Stephenson skated in, collected the rebound and smacked his shot behind Oettinger and into an empty net to end the game.
Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen scored the first goal of the night 2:47 into the first period. Stone tied the score on a power play midway through the period. Forward Jason Robertson scored on another power play 9:21 into the second period to give the Stars a 2-1 edge.
Neither team scored again for the majority of the third period. Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault went on to force overtime when he scored with 2:22 remaining in regulation.
Stephenson, Stone and Marchessault each totaled one goal and one assist in the victory. Defenseman Ryan Suter logged two assists for the Stars.
The No. 2 Stars will host the top seeded Golden Knights in Game 3 at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Dallas.
The winner of the best-of-seven game series will meet the top seeded Carolina Hurricanes or wild card Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers lead that series 2-0.
The Panthers will host the Hurricanes at 8 p.m. Monday in Sunrise, Fla.
