Games 3 and 4 of the Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche second-round series were played in Denver, Colorado. On Saturday night, the Stars defeated the Avalanche 4-1 at Ball Arena in Game 3. Dallas has a 2-1 series lead over Colorado. Craig Smith, Sam Steel, Evgenii Dadonov, Chris Tanev, Esa Lindell, and Jake Oettinger were the players in the Stars’ starting lineup.
Physically Intense Match
Oettinger won with 28 saves. Alexandar Georgiev, the goalie for the Avalanche, made 19 saves in a losing effort.As the series moved to Denver, the Avalanche sought greater aggression.
The first phase was more physically intense. At 5:30, Roope Hintz and Ross Colton both had calls for roughing on Miles Wood and Ryan Suter, respectively.
After the Stars were punished for having too many men on the ice at 7:54 and Nils Lundkvist was called for hooking against Colton, the Avalanche was given two power-play opportunities but was unable to take advantage of either.
Late in the first quarter, the Stars took the lead. At 18:39, Logan Stankoven gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead with a wrist shot into the goal. Stankoven scored his first goal of the playoffs with a single assist from Miro Heiskanen.
Stankoven had previously scored against Arizona on March 20. In the last moments of the first period, the physicality returned.
At 19:43, Josh Manson was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct against Mason Marchment, Matt Duchene was called for tripping against Mikko Rantanen, and Manson was called for unsportsmanlike conduct against Marchment.
Penalty Kill
At the completion of the first period, the Stars had a 1-0 lead over the Avalanche. In 20 minutes, Colorado outshot Dallas 13–6. With 1:43 remaining, the Stars and Avalanche each scored a penalty kill to start the second period.
In the middle of the second period, the Avalanche finally registered a point. At 10:24, Mikko Rantanen tied the score at one with a backhand shot into the Stars’ net. Rantanen’s third playoff goal was assisted by Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon. Late in the second quarter, the Stars took the lead again.
At 15:13, Tyler Seguin scored a tip-in goal to tie the score at 2-1. Seguin’s second playoff goal was assisted by Evgenii Dadonov and Sam Steel.
After two periods, the Stars led 2-1 going into the locker room. Colorado led Dallas 23–13 after 40 minutes of play. In the last seconds of the third frame, the Stars took the lead.
At 18:23, Tyler Seguin scored an empty-net goal to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead with a wrist shot into the goal. Seguin’s third postseason goal was assisted by Matt Duchene, who received the lone assist.
The Stars completed the scoring in the third period. At 19:32, Logan Stankoven scored an empty-net goal to give the Avalanche a 4-1 lead.
Stankoven’s second goal of the game and playoffs was assisted by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. By the end of regulation, the Stars had defeated the Avalanche 4-1. After a complete sixty minutes, Colorado defeated Dallas 30-23.
