The Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Monday night at American Airlines Center. Puck drop is at 9:30PM ET. Colorado leads the series 1-0 after a 5-1 win in Game 1 on Saturday.
Game 1 was tight until the third period, when Colorado pulled away with three late goals. Dallas has now lost Game 1 in eight straight playoff series. Despite that trend, the Stars have still gone on to win four of the last seven series when starting in a hole.
Stars Preview – Hoping to Break the Game 1 Trend
Dallas finished second in the Central Division with a 50-26-4-2 record. They went 28-11-3 at home but ended the regular season on a seven-game winless streak. Jake Oettinger stopped 19 of 23 shots in Game 1, allowing two deflected goals and three more late.
Wyatt Johnston scored the Stars’ only goal in Game 1. Dallas kept the game close until the final minutes but struggled to contain Colorado’s speed and passing. The Stars may be without Miro Heiskanen again as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
Offense will need to come from veterans like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Roope Hintz. The Stars also missed injured forward Jason Robertson. They were outshot 24-24 and allowed Colorado to convert on one of three power plays.
Avalanche Preview – MacKinnon Delivers in Return
Colorado went 49-29-1-3 and placed third in the Central. The Avalanche were 24-17-1 on the road. Nathan MacKinnon returned from injury and scored two goals with one assist in Game 1, bringing his playoff career total to 50 goals.
Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 of 24 shots in his playoff debut. Devon Toews added a key third-period goal, and Charlie Coyle scored late to seal the win. Colorado controlled the puck in key moments and avoided major mistakes.
The Avalanche power play has been effective, finishing with a 24.8% success rate during the season. Their defense also played well in front of Blackwood, allowing only five shots in the third. Colorado is hoping for the return of Gabriel Landeskog or Ross Colton, both of whom are day-to-day.
Betting Prediction
Colorado is a slight road favorite at -132 with the total at 6.5. The Avalanche have won three straight games against the Stars, all by two or more goals. Dallas has not covered the puck line in seven straight games.
MacKinnon’s return gave Colorado a spark, and Blackwood’s solid play makes them even more dangerous. Dallas has not looked sharp in weeks and may fall behind 2-0 if they don’t get help from their top scorers. A score around 4-2 for Colorado looks likely.
Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 over Dallas Stars
Look for Colorado to get ahead early and stay ahead. When push comes to shove the Avalanche are the better team and will win this game. The Avalanche are set to go ahead 2-0 in this series over the Stars. Enjoy the game and best of luck!
