The first period in Dallas had plenty of bite, and the score at the horn matched the mood: 1-1.
Colorado got on the board first when Artturi Lehkonen finished the opening goal, and the Avalanche leaned on Mackenzie Blackwood to protect that lead. He did his part early, turning away Oskar Beck’s wrist shot from the slot just before the two-minute mark, then stopping Colin Blackwell on a rush at 7:23. A little later, Jamie Benn tried to create something for Jason Robertson before taking a slap shot from the point, but Blackwood swallowed it off his chest protector.
The game got chippy from there. Sam Malinski and Colin Blackwell were both sent off for roughing after a post-whistle skirmish in front of the net, with Blackwell reacting to an apparent slash from Malinski as he tried to get a shot off on Blackwood. That sequence led to 4-on-4 play.
At the other end, Jake Oettinger matched the moment when Devon Toews slipped free for a look, stopping Colorado from adding to its advantage. Blackwood then answered again, denying Arttu Hyry on a wrist shot as he drove into the zone and then turning aside the rebound.
The physical tone escalated late when Fedor Svechkov dropped the gloves with Radek Faksa after Jaden Schwartz was caught by a hit he never saw coming. Svechkov was also tagged with an additional two-minute instigator penalty and a 10-minute misconduct, and Dallas made that late power play count.
With 53.8 seconds left in the period, Tyler Seguin - who missed most of last season with a torn ACL - found room in the low slot and buried a pass that deflected off Lehkonen and into the net. The goal brought the Stars level at 1-1 before the first intermission.
In Other News...
Avalanche Catch A Break In Dallas But Face A Bigger Concern
The Avalanche walked into Dallas with a little extra room to breathe before puck drop, thanks to a Stars lineup that looks thinner than usual down the middle. Wyatt Johnston is unavailable because of an illness, and thats a notable absence for a team that has leaned on his reliability for a long stretch. Sam Steel has been bumped up to second center, and Dallas is even asking defenseman Kyle Capobianco to fill in as a forward, a sign the Stars are patching things together wherever they can.
Colorado still has its own issues to manage, though, and they are bigger than any short-term break in the matchup. The Avalanche are also missing Cale Makar for family reasons, and that leaves them operating with 17 skaters while trying to keep pace in a game that already has some shuffling on both benches. With injuries adding to the uncertainty for both sides, this one has turned into less of a clean matchup and more of a test of depth and adaptability. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Got The Response They Needed In Heated Stars Win
MacKenzie Blackwood steadied the Avalanche in a needed 3-2 win over the Stars during the NHLs Frozen Frenzy, turning aside 24 shots and helping Colorado reset the tone after its previous loss. Martin Necas delivered the offense with two goals, including the power-play winner, as the Avalanche found a way to come out on top in a game that had plenty of bite for this early stretch of the schedule.
The physical edge was part of the story, too, with Nathan MacKinnon dropping the gloves in a fight and leaving with a bloody nose that needed attention during the game, though he is expected to be fine. Colorado and Dallas are right back at it in the next game of the home-and-home, giving the Avalanche a quick chance to show whether this win was just a response or the start of something steadier. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Role Players Could Benefit From One Key Edge Vs Stars
Colorado heads into its matchup with Dallas with a familiar challenge and a possible opening for some of its depth scorers. The Avalanche have shown enough offensive punch to make every line a threat, and the discussion around this one centers on how their role players can take advantage of the right matchup in a game that could turn into a test of patience against a disciplined Stars group.
Dallas has leaned on a defense-first approach early, which makes special teams and usage all the more important for anyone looking at player props. Brent Burns and T.J. Hughes both fit into that conversation because of the ways theyre deployed and the chances they can create, and Colorado will be hoping that edge in opportunity can outweigh what has otherwise been a stingy Dallas setup. [Read more 🡒]