DENVER — In a dramatic turn during Thursday night’s playoff matchup, Nathan MacKinnon found fortune through an unexpected deflection. His shot aimed at the net transformed into a crucial goal, bouncing off a Dallas player’s shoulder, ultimately helping the Colorado Avalanche secure a 7-4 victory over the Stars in Game 6.
The game-defining moment allowed the Avalanche to stay in the playoffs, pushing the first-round series to a decisive Game 7, set to take place in Dallas on Saturday. Reflecting on the event, MacKinnon deemed the goal “super lucky,” yet hopeful for similar fortunes in the upcoming game.
During the goal attempt, MacKinnon released a pass towards the net, which Sam Steel attempted to clear. However, the puck unexpectedly hit Colin Blackwell’s shoulder, veering into the goal. Stars’ goaltender Jake Oettinger struggled to capture the fluttering puck.
In response, Oettinger remarked on the Stars’ continued misfortunes, noting not just MacKinnon’s goal but also an earlier one from Valeri Nichushkin that similarly evaded defensive blocks due to an odd bounce. Colorado’s Cale Makar crafted a perfect pass to Artturi Lehkonen under similar unexpected circumstances, leading to yet another goal.
Nichushkin, previously fraught with frustration throughout the series, finally broke through scoring barriers with two significant goals, including one that brought Team Colorado on level terms midway through the third period. Poised by skilled assists from Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, and Gabriel Landeskog, additional goals were added by Lehkonen and Martin Necas, with Josh Manson and Makar finding the net with empty-net opportunities.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood tallied 22 saves to elongate the Avalanche’s playoff run, achieving an equal footing as they head back to Dallas. This strategic setback echoes a familiar scenario; the Avalanche fell to Dallas in a similar Game 6 conclusion last season.
Meanwhile, the Stars experienced a particularly productive second period, with Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen spearheading a four-goal surge. Together, they made league history as the first teammate pair to each tally four-point periods in playoffs. Mikael Granlund also contributed, reinforcing their mid-game dominance. Despite their scoring frenzy, Dallas was outshot by a hefty margin of 48 to 26 shots against them.
Looking forward to the pivotal Game 7, Stars coach Pete DeBoer remains optimistic due to his perfect 8-0 record in such matches, while the Avalanche face a grim record of having lost the last six Game 7 scenarios. DeBoer conveyed his preference for decisive victories in earlier games, albeit expressing confidence with a home game for the series finale.
Both sides understand the significance of the decisive matchup, with anticipated intensity matching the tight nature of the series thus far. Rantanen echoes this intensity, predicting a hard-fought battle during the final clash.
An alarming incident occurred when Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel experienced a dangerous slide into the boards after losing an edge, with Jack Drury trailing. Despite the concerning scene, Bichsel returned to the ice in the third period, alleviating initial fears.