Since the 1995-96 campaign, the franchises have met four times in the postseason, with hall of famers like Joe Sakic and Mike Modano, and goaltenders Patrick Roy and Ed Belfour, living in hockey lore, with Stanley Cup titles attesting to their greatness.
The first two playoff series came in the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years in 1999 and 2000, both times in Dallas with the Stars defeating the Avs in seven games. The second-consecutive series loss to the Stars served to light a fire under the Avalanche and inspire the team.
Colorado went 2-0-1-1 against the Stars the following regular season in 2000-01 and earned the Presidents' Trophy with a 52-16-10-4 record (118 points) before winning its second Stanley Cup championship. Three years later, the Avalanche and Stars met again in the first round of the playoffs. Colorado dismissed its foe in five games, as goaltender David Aebischer held the Stars to two goals or fewer in all four wins. Then in 2006, the Avs prevailed again over the Stars, also in five games, as Sakic recorded seven points (three goals, four assists) in the series victory.