The Dallas Stars seized the opportunity to clinch a series win over the Colorado Avalanche in the end on Friday. The Stars edged the Avalanche 2-1 in double overtime in Game 6 at Ball Arena to eliminate their Central Division foe. Dallas won the series 4-2 over Colorado.
The Stars’ starting lineup featured Logan Stankoven, Jamie Benn, Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, and Jake Oettinger. Oettinger made 29 saves for a win. Meanwhile, the Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made a whopping 37 saves in a losing effort.
Neither team opened the first-period scoring, but the biggest debate topic was when things got chippy late in the first period. Mason Marchment appeared to be in the middle of a fight after apparently throwing a punch at Cale Makar at 16:42, but both teams avoided penalties.
The Stars and Avalanche were in a scoreless tie after the first period. Colorado outshot Dallas 9-5 after 20 minutes.
The Avalanche finally got on the board by capitalizing on the game’s first power play early in the second period. Matt Duchene was called for cross-checking against Samuel Girard at 4:53. Mikko Rantanen fired a wrist shot into the Stars’ net for a power-play goal and a 1-0 lead at 5:48. Jonathan Drouin and Cale Makar collected the assists on Rantanen’s fourth of the playoffs.
The Stars trailed the Avalanche 1-0 after two periods. Dallas outshot Colorado 15-12 through 40 minutes.
The Stars needed to score in the third period to halt the Avalanche’s shutout bid — and that they did. Stars captain Jamie Benn put a backhand shot into the Avalanche’s net to tie the game 1-1 at 1:56. Evgenii Dadonov and Tyler Seguin collected the assists on Benn’s third of the playoffs.
The Stars and Avalanche were tied 1-1 after three periods. Dallas outshot Colorado 23-21 after 60 minutes.
The Stars and Avalanche’s first overtime period didn’t come without controversy. There was a league-initiated review to confirm if Matt Duchene committed goaltender interference, and after further review, the call on the ice stood and no goal for Duchene.
The Stars and Avalanche went into a second overtime period. Matt Duchene came through with a wrist shot lifted the Stars to a 2-1 win over the Avalanche after two overtime periods. Duchene’s unassisted goal was his second of the playoffs. Dallas outshot Colorado 39-30 after about 89 minutes.
Notes
Friday Night
The Stars hosted a Game 6 watch party at the American Airlines Center’s PNC Plaza on Friday. Stars fans got to hang out with Jeff K, Playoff Shippy, Victor E Green, and the Stars Ice Girls.
Up Next
The Stars became the first NHL team to advance to the Western Conference Final this postseason.
