After six entertaining games of the series that everyone had circled from the moment it was confirmed, the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars] and Colorado Avalanche face off one more time to see who will continue on to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Dallas Stars This is not new territory for the Stars, who advanced past the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 of last year's opening round in a hard-fought 2-1 win. Radek Faksa, who has since moved on to the St. Louis Blues, scored the game winning goal in the third period. Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) and right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates an empty net goal scored by Hintz against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8ba521c7-79be-4f09-9633-52ad3d5f82fc.jpeg] Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) and right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates an empty net goal scored by Hintz against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images It is also not new territory for the Stars and Avalanche to play a Game 7, as it happened both in 1999 and 2000, as well as in the 2020 bubble. Dallas has won each of those games, going on to appear in the Stanley Cup Final in each of those seasons. Colorado was nearly eliminated in Game 6 but for a third period comeback from down 4-3. The Avs eventually won on a Nathan MacKinnon game winner that was in reality an own goal by Sam Steel, who fired the puck right off of Colin Blackwell's shoulder and backwards into the net. Colorado added two empty net goals to win 7-4. Finns Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz both posted four points in the second period for Dallas, becoming the first teammates to ever do that in the playoffs. Dallas has been known to lose games in which something historic or memorable happens. Another notable loss came against the Seattle Kraken in Game 1 of the 2023 playoffs when Joe Pavelski scored four goals but Dallas lost 5-4 in overtime. The Stars are not concerned about flashy statistics or anything other than coming out on top at the end of the game on Saturday night. Dallas fought hard all season to earn home ice advantage, and now must take advantage of a raucous crowd hoping for a big win to continue the Stars playoff run. Dallas was successful in a grind-it-out type game against Vegas in the same situation last year, and a similar low-scoring win in Game 7 against Seattle before that. Both games finished 2-1, although Seattle did not score until the last minute of play. Stopping the high quality and dangerous Avalanche offense has to be at the forefront of every Stars player's mind. The team still will not have Miro Heiskanen back in the lineup, so the same group of six defensemen have to step up to the task one last time. The progress, the sacrifice and everything Dallas has worked for this season in an effort to clear that last hurdle and make it back to the Stanley Cup Final comes down to this one game, and it would be a major blow to the organization to lose out in the first round. It is all on the line tonight at the American Airlines Center. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CDT and can be seen nationally on ABC and locally on Victory+. Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Star Defenseman, Forward Out for Game 7 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/latest-news/star-defenseman-forward-out-for-game-7] Stars Now Have Avalanche Where They Want Them [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/latest-news/stars-now-have-avalanche-where-they-want-them] Fluke Goal Leads to Game Seven For Stars and Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/game-day/fluke-goal-leads-to-game-seven-for-stars-and-avalanche] Dallas Looks Close Out Series With Potential Game Six Victory [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/game-day/dallas-looks-close-out-series-with-potential-game-six-victory] * Follow Taylor on Twitter: @THN_taylor
