With the second-round series even at 1-1, the Stars will once again test their success on the road for the next two games in Denver.
The two regular-season meetings between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver couldn't have been more different.
After coughing up leads in the first two encounters at American Airlines Center, the Stars were completely flat in a 5-1 loss February 27 in Denver. It was the second game of a back-to-back, with Dallas coming off a 3-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders.
Less than two months later, the Stars once again found themselves heading to Denver on the second leg of a back-to-back following a loss, this time to the Chicago Blackhawks by an identical 3-2 score. But the results on this April 7 encounter were much different, with Dallas taking a 7-4 victory.
Now, the stage is set for another trip to Ball Arena, this time in a second-round playoff series that is even at 1-1 after Colorado stormed back in Game 1 from a 3-0 first-period deficit for a 4-3 overtime victory. The Avs almost mounted another comeback in Game 2, but Dallas managed to escape with a 5-3 win and split the first two games on their home ice.
Saturday, it will be the best road team versus the top home team. The Stars were 26-10-5 away from home in the regular season, and swept both games in Vegas against the Golden Knights to take their first-round series in seven games.
Colorado, meanwhile, had the NHL's best home record at 31-9-1 during the regular season and are 2-0 this postseason coming off a 4-1 first-round series win over the Winnipeg Jets.
In three road games against the Golden Knights, Dallas was just 1-for-6 (16.7%) on the power play, 11th in the NHL. The Avs, meanwhile, were 4-of-10 (40%) at home, good for second.
The Stars were successful on all five of their penalty-kill opportunities in Vegas. Colorado is 83.3% on the penalty-kill at Ball Arena, fifth in the NHL.
The altitude difference in Denver is always a storyline, especially in the post-season. The key, according to Stars forward Tyler Seguin, is to come out playing fast and take shorter shifts.
"I think the trick has always been, even in pre-season, go as hard as you can in the first (period), get used to it," Seguin said Friday as the team was preparing to leave for Denver. "I typically enjoy going in and out, not being there too long, but we'll get accustomed to it."
Controlling the Third Period
In games 1 and 2 of this series against Colorado at American Airlines Center, the Stars jumped out to big leads only to see Colorado storm back in Game 1 to win in overtime and come up just short in Game 2.
While Dallas held the Avs' three-headed monster of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar without a point in Game 2, others were able to pick up the slack in a comeback that fell just short.
Former Dallas Star Joel Kirivanta put Colorado on the scoreboard at 4:06 of the third period after the Stars had built a 4-0 lead. Brandon Duhaime made it 4-2 at the eight-minute mark, followed by Valeri Nichushkin's tally at 16:16 to narrow the gap to 4-3. Esa Lindell's empty-netter with 21 seconds left allowed the Stars and their fans to breathe a sigh of relief.
In the two regular-season and post-season home games against Colorado, the Stars have given up a total of 12 goals in the third period and overtime. Through seven playoff games, Colorado has 17 third-period goals, best in the NHL.
Dallas has dominated when they force the Avs into mistakes and keeping them out of the defensive zone, limiting their ability to get repeated chances at the net. During these playoffs, Colorado is second in the NHL with 34.6 shots per game, including 31 in Game 2 of this series against the Stars.
Big Guns Finally Warmed Up
Following the loss in Game 1, Stars head coach Pete DeBoer addressed the lack of production by some of his top scorers this post-season. Through the first eight games, only 11 goals were scored between Wyatt Johnston, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, Seguin, Matt Duchene, Mason Marchment and Jamie Benn. Each of them had 20 or more goals during the regular season.
"I think at the end of the night, when you look at the score sheet, their big guys all kind of delivered and were all over the score sheet," DeBoer said after the Game 1 loss to the Avs. "I thought a couple of our guys were, but... some of our scoring has to step up. We've been waiting for a series plus a game now for some of that."
He got his wish in Game 2. Hintz, who only had an empty-net goal this post-season, finally scored against a goalie to put the Stars ahead in Game 2. Miro Heiskanen potted two goals and Seguin got his first of the playoffs for what proved to be the winning goal to even the series at 1-1.
"It was nice to get on the board and help the team that way," Hintz said after the game. "You can't control the past."
Perhaps not, but Dallas will need its scoring depth now and in the future. It's what helped them get this far.
Projected Lines:
Robertson-Hintz-Johnston
Marchment-Seguin-Duchene
Benn-Pavelski-Stankoven
Smith-Steel-Dadonov
Harley-Heiskanen
Lindell-Tanev
Suter-Lundkvist
Oettinger
Fans can gather at Gilley's South Side Ballroom, 1135 Botham Jean Blvd. in Dallas. Doors will open at 8 Pm.
Puck drop is at 9 Pm CT, and the game can be viewed on TNT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
- Follow Stephen on Twitter: @smkwriter1