After the Avalanche lost 5-3 in Game 1 of the series on Saturday, they started off strong with a 2-0 lead on power-play goals. The first scored by Nathan MacKinnon at 6:08 of the first period. Mikko Rantanen next scored for the Avalanche at 8:54 of the second period.
Soon after Colorado’s luck changed and the team had numerous penalties called against them. After having two penalties called on the Avalanche, the Stars had 5-on-3 for 1:17. After only 11 seconds of the powerplay, Joe Pavelski scored the first goal of the game for Dallas at 9:54. Towards the end of Dallas’s 4-on-3 powerplay Radek Faksa scored at 10:37 making the score 2-2.
After Dallas tied the game they became unstoppable. The Stars scored again at 15:34 making the score 3-2 and a fourth goal was scored by Esa Lindell at 19:14 which raised controversy with Avalanche players.
With 45.2 seconds left on the clock Esa Lindell made the score 4-2 for the Stars. Gabriel Landeskog challenged the goal believing he did not see the puck cross the goal line. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar wanted the officials to dismiss the goal and review it to see if the puck actually went over the goal line. The officials did review it and stood by the original call.
“Maybe it’s a mistake, maybe it’s not. I have no idea,” Bednar said. “My goal is to make sure that our team is responding after goals against or a bad bounce here and there and instill that we have this belief that we can bounce back from things that are thrown at us. Our resolve just wasn’t where it needed to be after a bad break, a bad penalty. The game is not over. We have to be better. This time of year, we have to expect more from each other.”
The Avalanche were not threatening Dallas in the third period. The Avalanche had 10 shots on goal, but Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin was sweating it, after making 38 saves in the game.
“For some reason we couldn’t get back on our feet after that second period,” Landeskog said.
Courtesy of NHL.com
Dallas scored their fifth goal with only 10 seconds left in the game on an open net from across the rink.
“If I knew exactly where it had gone I would have a better chance at grabbing a solution before tonight,” Bednar said. “We do have some guys who normally give us some scoring that are fighting it a little bit. Definitely more mental than physical. Our intentions are right and some guys are questioning themselves a little bit.”
If the Avalanche continue to play how they have been after Game 3 on Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET the team may be jeopardizing their chances to move forward in the Stanley Cup Finals
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