Avalanche beat Stars 5-3 in Game 5 to stay alive in playoffs

DALLAS (AP) — Colorado lastly obtained to play with the lead towards the Dallas Stars, although the Avalanche are nonetheless behind within the collection.

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar scored two objectives, the second after Casey Mittelstadt’s go-ahead tally within the third interval, they usually beat top-seeded Dallas 5-3 in Recreation 5 on Wednesday evening. The Avs snapped their three-game dropping streak and prolonged the second-round Western Convention collection.

“Clearly a do-or-die sport from right here on out within the collection,” Makar mentioned. “Every of us, we feed off one another. … And I felt like we had been again to sort of like forcing their hand tonight.”

When Mittelstadt scored simply 1:12 into the third interval to make it 3-2, it was the primary time Colorado had led within the collection apart from when Miles Wooden scored 11 minutes into time beyond regulation to win the collection opener.

“It was nice,” league MVP finalist Nathan MacKinnon mentioned about enjoying with a lead. “They didn’t do this a lot, however anytime we are able to get a lead it’s necessary so we’re not chasing all collection.”

Makar made it 4-2 with an unassisted objective simply over three minutes later. His shot from the center of the appropriate circle went by way of the legs of goalie Jake Oettinger and proved to be the deciding objective, and MacKinnon scored on a lone help from Artturi Lehkonen with 3:10 left.

MacKinnon additionally had the one help on Lehkonen’s power-play objective within the final second of the primary interval.

“We knew we had been going to get their greatest sport within the collection, they usually did,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer mentioned. “Their huge guys all are on the scoresheet tonight, which we’ve in all probability anticipated would occur.”

Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev had 23 saves. Oettinger stopped 22 photographs.

Joe Pavelski had his first objective of those playoffs for the Stars, and his second help this postseason. Miro Heiskanen and rookie Logan Stankoven additionally scored for Dallas, and Jason Robertson had two assists.

Recreation 6 is Friday evening in Colorado, the place the Stars outscored the Avs 9-2 whereas successful Video games 3 and 4. Dallas is 4-1 on the highway this postseason — and 3-4 at house.

This was the sixth time in franchise historical past that the Avs gained Recreation 5 after falling behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven collection. They’ve by no means come again to win the collection.

After going 0 for 8 on energy performs whereas dropping the earlier three video games, Colorado scored tying objectives on each of its alternatives with a person benefit within the first two intervals.

“I felt like as soon as we had been getting pucks, it was proper on and off the stick, and making an attempt to keep away from somewhat little bit of the stress,” Makar mentioned, when requested what modified in Recreation 5. “Having that completely different mentality, an assault mentality, and never making an attempt to again down or making an attempt to search for the right play.”

Makar obtained his power-play objective on a 50-foot wrister by way of a bunch of site visitors in entrance of the online with 3 1/2 minutes left within the second interval to tie the sport at 2-2.

“Robust-go for a handful of video games … it’s an enormous response after objective one, after objective two,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar mentioned.

Mittelstadt’s go-ahead objective got here after Zach Parise hit the puck throughout the crease and Mittelstadt knocked it in a ricochet off the appropriate publish that hit the again of Oettinger’s leg and went in.

Pavelski scored on a backhander from simply outdoors the crease after a go from Matt Duchene halfway by way of the primary interval, after Robertson had poked the puck away from defenseman Josh Manson.

After 14 video games with out a objective, together with the final three video games of the common season, Pavelski obtained his 74th profession playoff objective to increase his document for essentially the most by a U.S.-born participant. That can also be essentially the most by any energetic participant.

Colorado obtained even at 1-1 with 0.6 seconds left within the first interval on Lehkonen’s slap shot from the highest of the slot.

“You’ve obtained to get out of the interval there,” DeBoer mentioned.

Heiskanen scored his fourth objective on this collection, and his fifth of the playoffs, placing Dallas up 2-1 within the second. He dropped the puck again to Pavelski, who handed forward to Robertson, who made a transfer towards the appropriate facet of the online earlier than a nifty crossing go to Heiskanen on the opposite facet of Georgiev on an influence play.

Rantanen had the secondary help on Makar’s first objective for his a centesimal profession playoff level (33 objectives and 67 assists). It got here in his eightieth profession postseason sport, making him solely the eighth NHL participant to achieve that milestone in that many video games or fewer. He’s solely the fourth participant in Avalanche franchise historical past to achieve 100 playoff factors — Joe Sakic’s 188 tops that checklist.

It was Bednar’s forty ninth playoff victory, matching Bob Hartley for essentially the most in franchise historical past. Each have led Colorado to Stanley Cup titles, Hartley in 2001 after which Bednar of their subsequent one in 2022.