Game 5 of the second-round series between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche represented everything this series has been 60 minutes of frantic Stanley Cup Playoffs action. The Avalanche entered the game with the pressure on their shoulders trailing the series 3-games-to-1. While they escaped Dallas the last time with a Game 1 overtime win, they would need a better effort to avoid elimination in the return contest for Game 5.
The Avalanche managed only two goals in two home contests earlier this week in Games 3 & 4 in Denver. The Stars outscored Colorado, 9-2, on the way to claiming both games at Ball Arena. Now, Dallas returned in front of its home supports with a chance to wrap up the series. In the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the “close out game”. or final win in the series is often the most difficult for teams to obtain.
Game 5 in Dallas was no different. Despite facing adversity, Colorado persevered through the challenges, scored some extremely clutch goals, and lived to fight on at least a few more days in the NHL’s annual May/June Tournament.
Dallas Takes Early Control in Game 5
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This entire series has been punctured by Dallas generating a lead and maintaining that advantage to claim victory in the game. Check out my Game 3 and Game 4 recaps as an illustration. The Stars embarrassed the Avs on their home ice earlier this series utilizing that exact game plan.
Colorado’s coach Jared Bednar must feel he is living a recurring nightmare as Dallas again gained the lead midway through the first period on a Joe Pavelski goal. “Little Joe” has been an effective role play for Dallas this postseason, however, the score was his first of this playoff run. The Avalanche responded with a power play goal with 0.6 seconds remaining on the clock in the first period to tie the game at one heading into the first intermission.
Both teams battled it out in the second period with no goals for the first half of the frame. Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen scored a man-advantage goal at 11:39 to put the Stars ahead again, 2-1. Counterpart defenseman for Colorado, Cale Makar, scored with over 2 minutes left in the 2nd period to even things up at 2 setting the stage for a wild final regulation period for Game 5.
Colorado’s Stars Keep Team Alive For A Game 6
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With the game all knotted up, Colorado finally caught a break and took advantage of good puck luck in Game 5. One minute into the period, Avalanche forward Casey Middlestadt ricocheted the puck off the back of Stars’ goalie Jake Oettinger and across the thin red line for the 3-2 lead, the Avalanche’s first lead in the series. The goal ended a streak of 281 minutes of game action without a scoreboard advantage for Colorado.
Cale Makar would add his second goal of Game 5 for a 4-2 advantage before Dallas’ Logan Stankoven scored for the Stars to cut that lead in half, 4-3. Nathan MacKinnon would snipe a shot past Oettinger with 3 minutes remaining in the 3rd to secure the win for Colorado.
Avlanahce star of the game, Cale Makar, summed up the gritty effort from Colorado in Game 5:
“Obviously, a do-or-die game from here on out in the series”, Makar said. “Each of us, we feed off each other. …And I felt like we were back to kind of like forcing their hand tonight.”
Denver, Colorado hosts Game 6 on Friday evening at Ball Arena with the home team attempting to force a Game 7 game back in Dallas on Sunday with a victory in front of the Avalanche faithful.
About The Author
Christopher Babos is a genuine sports & entertainment journalist with diverse credentials in writing, broadcasting, and digital media. With a varied professional background that includes an M.B.A. in Sports Management from Tiffin University, Chris can speak with authority on the subject matters that he covers. Additional insightful sports articles can be located here.
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