After receiving a two-game suspension in the Western Conference finals, Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn thought his season might be over.

The Stars lost Game 3 to go down 3-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights, the same contest in which Benn cross-checked Mark Stone in the jaw to earn a first-period game misconduct and subsequent two-game ban. But the Stars won the next two games without Benn, giving their captain a chance to return for Game 6 on Monday night in Dallas.

"I was praying we were going to play two solid games just to get another chance and another kick at it here. I'm really proud of the guys," said Benn, who was the first player to hit the ice for practice. "It sucks watching, especially in playoffs. The guys had two gutsy efforts. Character wins and a lot of confidence in this room."