Simulating the second-round series between Colorado vs. Dallas in NHL 24
Continuing with our second-round series simulations, we got the Colorado Avalanche taking on the Dallas Stars.
These two teams have a rich history of facing one another in the NHL playoffs. Back in 1999 and 2000, they met in the Western Conference Finals with Dallas taking both series in seven games. The Stars went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1999 and were runner-ups to the New Jersey Devils the next year.
Their most recent playoff series came in 2020 in the Edmonton bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Stars had a 3-1 series lead before Colorado forced a Game 7. Joel Kiviranta for Dallas — now a member of the Colorado Avalanche — scored the overtime winner to complete his first NHL hat trick.
Dallas went on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games, but their run ended in the Cup Final to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Colorado took the season series against Dallas 3-1, scoring 20 goals in four games.
Our first-round series simulation of Dallas versus Vegas was a doozy. The Stars got out to a 3-0 series lead until the Golden Knights came roaring back and won the series in overtime of Game 7.
A similar outcome transpired in our series simulation of Colorado versus Winnipeg. Colorado had a 2-0 series lead before Winnipeg rattled off four wins in a row to take the series.
So NHL 24 was wrong in predicting the winner of those two series. If you're a Dallas fan maybe you'll be happy with the series simulation here. Colorado easily handled the Stars, defeating them in five games.
The MVP for the series was a tie between Nathan MacKinnon who had four goals and nine points and Alexander Georgiev who was sensational, only allowing 10 goals in five games and putting up a .945 save percentage.
The most disappointing player from the series you could argue was a tie as well. Roope Hintz put up a bagel and was a minus-five while playing on Dallas' first line. Jake Oettinger could not replicate his stellar first-round performance against Vegas. He allowed 20 goals in the five games and an abysmal 3.78 goals-against average.
This second-round matchup has all the makings to go six or seven games and I would put money on NHL 24 being wrong in predicting this series to be this short. Puck drop for Game 1 is Tuesday night at 9:30pm EST.
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