For the fifth time in six seasons, the Avalanche will play in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After dispatching the Winnipeg Jets in five games, Colorado will face the Central Division-winning Dallas Stars, who beat the defending Stanley Cup-champion Vegas Golden Knights in seven games.
SERIES SCHEDULE
- Game One: At Dallas, Date: Tues., May 7, Time: 7:30 p.m. MT, Networks: ESPN, SN, SN360, TVAS
- Game Two: At Dallas, Date: Thurs., May 9. Time: 7:30 p.m. MT, Networks: TNT, MAX, TruTV, SN, SN360, TVAS
- Game Three: At Colorado, Sat., May 11, Time: TBD, Networks: TNT, MAX, TruTV, SN, SN1, TVAS
- Game Four: At Colorado, Mon., May 13, Time: TBD, Networks: ESPN, TVAS
- Game Five: At Dallas, Wed., May 15, Time: TBD, Networks: TBD
- Game Six: At Colorado, Fri., May 17, Time: TBD, Networks: TBD
- Game Seven: At Dallas, Sun., May 19, Time: TBD, Networks: TBD
This is the sixth time the Avalanche will play the Stars in the playoffs, with the Stars winning three of the previous five series. The clubs most recently faced off in the second round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Stars won in seven games. In the four series before that, Colorado beat Dallas in five games in the first round in 2004 and 2006, and Dallas beat Colorado in seven games in the 1998 and 1999 Western Conference Final.
In the regular season, these Central Division foes faced off four times, with the Avalanche winning 6-3 in Dallas on Nov. 18, 2023, 5-4 in overtime in Dallas on Jan. 4, 2024, 5-1 in Denver on Feb. 27, 2024, and Dallas winning 7-4 in Denver on April 7, 2024.
Entering the second round, the Avalanche are scoring an NHL-best 5.60 goals and 37 shots on goal per game. Colorado's leading scorers are Cale Makar (2g, 7a), Nathan MacKinnon (2g, 7a), and Mikko Rantanen (2g 7a), who are tied for fourth in the NHL with nine points.
