An own-goal by Dallas proved to be the difference in what was one of the most entertaining games of the postseason so far.

Colorado came out swinging in the first period - as expected - and put 19 shots on Jake Oettinger. It was only the stellar play of Oettinger that kept the Dallas Stars remotely close to the Avalanche from the start.

Even with 17 saves, Colorado got a goal from Valeri Nichushkin to open the scoring on a shot that would have gone wide but hit Ilya Lyubushkin's skate and took a right turn straight into an open net.

Another flukey shot from Cale Makar where he whiffed on a big wind-up one-timer led to the second goal. Instead of blasting into Oettinger, it dribbled wide to a perfectly placed Arturri Lehkonen, who shoveled it into a yawning cage for the 2-0 lead near the end of the first.

Dallas had a couple of chances, but were mostly taking water on all first period and needed a reset in the intermission.

Colorado did not turn down the intensity in the second period, but the Stars certainly figured it out and began to match it. Their offense had been silent for a total of four periods in a row, and Dallas needed at least two to get back in the game, which seemed like a long shot after the first period.

But the offense woke up thanks to the first power play called in the game, a tripping call on Brock Nelson. Just before the penalty, Oettinger started the period off with a huge save on Cale Makar, and then Dallas had an opportunity to turn the tide. After Mackenzie Blackwood stoned a would-be goal in tight, the power play reset and Roope Hintz put it through shortly after. The power play was dangerous from the start and gave hope to Dallas that they could indeed come back.

Soon after, the line of Finns was back on the ice, and Mikael Granlund was sprung forward off a pass from Hintz and beat Makar one-on-one before roofing a shot past Blackwood, and just like that, the game was tied 2-2.

Just a minute after, Colorado turned up the intensity again and Makar found Martin Necas flying in unmanned on the back-side of the play, and Necas put it past Oettinger for his first goal of the series to put the Avs back up 3-2.

Dallas would not go away, though, and Hintz broke through the defense with speed and fired a rocket of a wrist shot to the top corner to tie the game back up 3-3.

The high-flying intensity continued both ways, with Colorado hitting two posts, one from Necas and one from Josh Manson.

Then, right before the end of the second period, a turnover thanks to a heavy forecheck led to Mikko Rantanen getting the puck in the slot and firing a quick shot through Blackwood's five hole to give Dallas their first lead at 4-3.

Hintz and Rantanen became the first duo to both have four points periods in a playoff game with their second period performances.

Colorado came back in the third period clearly not ready for their season to end, and continued peppering Oettinger with shots. A rebound landed perfectly at Nichushkin's feet, and he jammed it into the net for his second goal and a tie game once again at 4-4.

Then, as flukey of a goal as you can get put Colorado on top for good, as Sam Steel cleared it off of Colin Blackwell's shoulder and back into their own net, giving the Avs a 5-4 lead.

Dallas made a valiant effort to tie it, but Manson finished it off into the empty net with just over a minute to go, sending the game to an all-deciding Game 7 on Saturday night.

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