Denver, Colorado – The Colorado Avalanche fall to heated rival Dallas Stars 5-4 in a shootout. Colorado falls to 2-0-1 while Dallas advances to 2-0-0.
The Avalanche donned their fan favorite alternate jerseys in front of the home crowd for the first time this season. However, it didn’t come with the victory the Avs faithful were hoping for.
The scoring summary for Colorado begins with Martin Necas tying the game up at 1-1 at 3:54 in the second period, assisted by Nathan Mackinnon and Sam Malinski. At 10:07, Gavin Brindley scored his first career NHL goal to the raucous support of his teammates and fans. Victor Olofsson assisted him. Arturri Lehkonen lit the lamp just 34 seconds into the third, assisted by Mackinnon and Necas, temporarily taking the lead from Dallas. The final goal came from Mackinnon on a power play at 10:46, tying the game at 4-4, being assisted by Necas and newly acquired veteran Brent Burns. That was Burns’ first point in an Avalanche uniform.
Valeri Nichushkin provided the lone goal in the unsuccessful shootout sequence as the second shooter. Olofsson started, and Mackinnon finished for Colorado, but did not score in their attempts.
Dallas got the scoring going with the first goal scored late in the first period by Thomas Harley at 18:51. He was assisted by former Avalanche player Mikko Rantanen and Nils Lundkvist. After going down 2-1, Nathan Bastian scored his first goal as a Dallas Star at 15:22 in the second period, being assisted by Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen. Bastian was acquired in the offseason via free agency after spending the majority of his career with the New Jersey Devils. Jason Robertson took the lead for the Stars at 18:25 with assists from Thomas Harley and Ilya Lybushkin. The final goal in regulation from Dallas came at 1:58 in the third period from Wyatt Johnston, unassisted.
In the shootout, Jason Robertson netted a goal to put the Stars up in the sequence before Mikko Rantanen scored the game-winning goal as the third and final shooter for Dallas. Matt Duchene went up second but was the lone unsuccessful attempt for the team.
Scott Wedgewood started his third game in a row for Colorado, saving 18/22 and finishing with an .818% save percentage, stopping 1/3 in the shootout.
Jake Oettinger saved 35/39 for Dallas, finishing the night with a .897% save percentage and stopping 2/3 in the shootout.
Colorado finished with 39 shots, 19 hits, and 3 penalties, totaling 9 penalty minutes. On the contrary, Dallas finishes with 22 shots, 17 hits, and 5 penalties, accounting for 15 penalty minutes respectively. Dallas won more faceoffs with a 52.6% win percentage compared to Colorado’s 47.4%.
Colorado makes the trip to Buffalo to play the Sabres in a matinee matchup on Monday at 10:30 am MT at KeyBank Center. Dallas, on the other hand, travels back home to play the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at 7:30 pm MT. That will take place at American Airlines Center.
