The Colorado Avalanche are set to face the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center for Game One of the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avalanche/Nordiques own an all-time record of 33-19 in the first game of playoff series, with a 9-11 mark in away games. Game One’s puck drop between the Avalanche and Stars is scheduled for 7:30 PM MT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
ROUND TWO SCHEDULE VS. DAL
- May 7 at Dallas - Game One, 7:30 PM MT / 8:30 PM CT (ESPN, SN, SN360, TVAS)
- May 9 at Dallas - Game Two, 7:30 PM MT / 8:30 PM CT (TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, TVAS)
- May 11 vs. Dallas - Game Three, 8:00 PM MT (TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, TVAS)
- May 13 vs. Dallas - Game Four, TBD
- May 15 at Dallas - Game Five, TBD*
- May 17 vs. Dallas - Game Six, TBD*
- May 19 at Dallas - Game Seven, TBD*
*If necessary
REGULAR SEASON RESULTS VS. DAL
- Nov. 18 at Dallas (W, 6-3)
- Jan. 4 at Dallas (W, 5-4 OT)
- Feb. 27 vs. Dallas (W, 5-1)
- April 7 vs. Dallas (L, 7-4)
ROUND ONE RECOGNITION
Five Colorado skaters are ranked among the top 15 in postseason points across the league. Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, and Nathan MacKinnon are tied for fifth place, each with nine points (2g/7a). Artturi Lehkonen is tied for 11th with eight points (5g/3a), and Valeri Nichushkin is tied for 15th with seven points (7g/0a).
The Avalanche joined the ranks of only three other NHL teams to score at least five goals in each of their first five playoff games. The 1985 Blackhawks (seven games) and the 1994 Rangers (six games) are the only teams to surpass this early scoring run.
The Avs totaled 28 goals in Round 1, the most through the first five games of a playoff run in franchise history. The teams’ 28 tallies pace the NHL this postseason.
Alexandar Georgiev stopped 33 of Winnipeg’s 36 shots on net in Game 5, finishing the series with a 3.03 GAA and .900 SV%. In the final four games, Georgiev posted a 2.00 GAA and a .932 SV%.
PLAYOFF PROMINENCE
Colorado and Dallas last faced off in Round Two of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, ending with an Avalanche defeat in Game Seven. Colorado owns an all-time playoff record of 18-14 against the Stars.
MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Makar are among the top scorers in franchise history against Dallas in postseason play, ranking fourth, fifth, and seventh. Together, they have accumulated 34 points (12g/22a) in these matchups.
The Avalanche have tallied 99 goals over 32 games against the Stars, averaging 3.09 goals per game to their 2.8.
Colorado’s penalty kill efficiency stands at 78.7% against Dallas/Minnesota, with an average of 0.91 power-play goals against per game.
FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT: ROUND 1 RESULTS
The Avalanche defeated the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 4-1.
- April 21 at Winnipeg; L 7-6
- April 23 at Winnipeg; W 5-2
- April 26 vs. Winnipeg; W 6-2
- April 28 vs. Winnipeg; W 5-1
- April 30 at Winnipeg; W 6-3
LIGHTING THE LAMP
7
Nichushkin scored his seventh goal of the postseason in Game 5, tied for the NHL lead in that category.
5
Lehkonen notched five goals in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He extended his scoring streak of finding the back of the net in every First Round matchup. Lehkonen and Nichushkin tied Michel Goulet (1985) for the longest playoff-opening goal streak in franchise history. Martin Havlat (six games in 2006) was the last time an NHLer recorded a longer streak.
13
Colorado tallied three third-period goals in Game 5 against Winnipeg and has registered 13 in the playoffs. That is good for the league lead in that category.
QUOTE(S) THAT LEFT A MARK
“Every experience, not just the good ones and winning but the heartbreak, they’re all valuable. I think you learn from both. Our team has done a nice job at staying even-keeled and part of that is the experience you have in the playoffs. Not just the winning but the losing as well.”
- Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar on Experience in the Playoffs
