In an exhilarating playoff showdown, the Dallas Stars emerged victorious against the Colorado Avalanche, securing a 4-3 win in overtime on Monday night to level their Western Conference first-round series. The game’s decisive moment came from Colin Blackwell, who notched the winning goal 17:46 into the extra period. Initially, Blackwell’s shot deflected off his teammate Sam Steel and Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard. However, the puck remained in play, allowing Blackwell, a fourth-line forward, to circle back and bury the shot into the net.
Reflecting on the moment, Blackwell expressed, “It’s been a long season, and after missing the first game, it’s been about staying ready. I’ve always felt my style is tailor-made for playoff hockey. I thrive in these high-stakes situations.”
Dallas avoided a perilous predicament of losing the first two home games in their opening series, thanks to contributions from Tyler Seguin, Thomas Harley, and Evgenii Dadonov. The Stars had extended their Game 1 loss trend to eight consecutive since 2022, carrying over a seven-game winless streak into the postseason.
“Playoffs are like a fresh start. It’s been a while since we tasted victory, and we needed to simplify our approach,” said Seguin. “Tonight was a step in the right direction and gives us something positive to build on.”
As the contest went into overtime, Colorado utilized a power play that lingered from the final minute of regulation, brought about by a hooking call against Mikko Rantanen, who recently rejoined the Dallas earlier this season under a substantial $96 million deal, extended over eight years. goalkeeper Jake Oettinger was a wall for Dallas, making 34 crucial saves, while Mackenzie Blackwood guarded Colorado’s net with 35 saves, despite the unlucky deflection that ended the game.
Nathan MacKinnon, reliable as ever, netted a power-play goal for the Avalanche, marking his third in the series and his 51st in the NHL playoffs. Jack Drury and Logan O’Connor added goals for Colorado.
For Avs coach Jared Bednar, the loss signified a missed chance to seize the series lead. “You never want to squander an opportunity like this when you play well,” he lamented.
With the series tied, the action moves to Denver for Game 3 on Wednesday, amidst hopes that Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog could make his long-awaited return. Last seen in action during the Avs’ Stanley Cup-clinching game in June 2022, Landeskog’s journey back has been delayed by a prolonged knee injury that required surgeries. Though ready for Monday’s game, he abstained from playing, opting just for the pregame warmup.
During the regulation match-up, O’Connor gave Colorado a lead late in the second period. His goal came with Mason Marchment tightly marking him, shortly after Dallas’s fruitless two-man advantage lasting nearly four minutes. A Dallas timeout had preceded this costly Power Play, hoping to capitalize, but Colorado nullified their efforts effectively.
Harley’s early second-period strike provided Dallas its first series lead until Drury promptly equalized, finding the net with Rantanen nearby. Drury’s presence traces back to a trade that sent Rantanen to Carolina before his eventual return.
The skirmish reached its first turning point when MacKinnon’s Power Play tally near the first period’s end was quickly answered by Dallas. A tactical setup by captain Jamie Benn set Marchment to pass across the zone to Seguin, who executed with a sharp slap shot, making his return impactful after recovering from an arduous hip surgery that sidetracked him for most of the season.
In scoring, Seguin was reminded of the simple joy such moments bring. “Scoring is often not at the forefront when coming back from an injury. However, achieving that feels rewarding and becomes a positive reinforcement in the recovery journey,” he noted.