Avalanche Close to the Edge After 5-1 Stars Drubbing

DENVER – Down two games to one in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Colorado Avalanche were optimistic heading into Game 4 against the Dallas Stars on Monday. Dallas defeated Colorado in Game 2 & 3 after the Avalanche took Game 1 in overtime. Colorado had to scratch, claw, and play from behind in all three games.

The Avalanche just embraced the last bit on Monday night at Ball Arena.

Hours before game time, Colorado was rocked with the news of forward Valeri Nichushkin receiving a six-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. This automatically placed Nichushkin in Stage 3 of the NHL’s player assistance program. Defenseman Devon Toews was also announced as a scratch just before warm-ups.

PERIOD ONE

Coming into Monday evening, the Avalanche had not led once during gameplay against the Stars. It was a trend Colorado continued in Game 4. Dallas dominated on both sides of the ice to start, outshooting the Avalanche 16-2 in period number one. The Stars put one on the board first after rookie forward Wyatt Johnston potted a shorthanded goal at 15:37 of the period. Avs goaltender Alexandar Georgiev had to withstand multiple, high-intensity scoring chances in order to get Colorado out of the first down just one goal.

PERIOD TWO

The Stars’ onslaught continued in the second. Johnston scored yet another special teams goal for Dallas – this time, on the power play – at 5:46 of period two. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen potted an even-strength tally at 11:24, giving Dallas a commanding 3-0 lead halfway through the game. Colorado picked up the pace after Heiskanen’s goal, leading to forward Casey Mittelstadt putting the Avs on the board at 12:35 of the second period.

PERIOD THREE

The Avalanche have made it a habit this series to play from behind. Just so, Colorado finally brought out a bigger effort in the last 20 minutes of the game. Dallas did not budge, thought, as winger Evgenii Dadonov made the score 4-1 at 9:27 of the third. An empty-net goal by centerman Sam Steel sealed the deal as Dallas took Game 4 by a score of 5-1, now leading the series three games to one.

EPILOGUE

The Stars victory pushes the Avalanche to the brink of elimination. Colorado now needs to win three games in a row in order to advance to the Western Conference Finals.

With the loss of both Nichushkin and Toews before Game 4, it doesn’t look good for the Avs to complete a comeback against a hyper-efficient Stars offense and clamped-down Dallas defense.

Overshadowed was the return of forward Jonathan Drouin from injury. Drouin was saddled with a lower-body injury in the regular season finale back in mid-April. He contributed an assist on the Middelstadt goal in Game 4.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

The Stars and Avalanche gear up for Game 5 on Wednesday night as the series shifts back to Dallas. Start time is at 7:00pm MT / 8:00pm CT.

Again, this will be a must-win for Colorado, as another loss will eliminate the Avlanche from the postseason. However, with the lackluster performance from Colorado on Monday night, it wouldn’t be a total shocker to see this Avalanche team fall in five games to the juggarnaut that is the Dallas Stars.