DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon despatched the puck into visitors in entrance of the web. What occurred subsequent could go down as one of many greatest playoff targets he is ever “scored.”
MacKinnon acquired credit score for a go-ahead objective with 10:56 remaining after the puck bounced off the shoulder of a Dallas participant, and the Colorado Avalanche staved off elimination by beating the Stars 7-4 in Sport 6 on Thursday evening.
It was the bounce that saved the Avalanche from being bounced. The primary-round playoff collection heads to Dallas for Sport 7 on Saturday.
On the successful objective, MacKinnon despatched a cross close to the objective that Sam Steel tried to clear. Nevertheless it hit the shoulder of Colin Blackwell and caromed towards the web. Goaltender Jake Oettinger could not corral the fluttering puck along with his glove.
“Tremendous fortunate,” MacKinnon mentioned. “Hopefully we get extra of these Saturday.”
For the Stars, they’re making an attempt to “chortle it off,” Oettinger mentioned. Identical with Valeri Nichushkin‘s objective to begin the sport that hit a stick, then a skate and went in. Or Cale Makar winding up for a slap shot, solely to not get a lot of it and have it flip into the proper cross to Artturi Lehkonen for a objective.
“They acquired higher bounces than us,” Oettinger mentioned. “Simply cannot make it up. Clearly, [Blackwell] just isn’t making an attempt to knock it in our web.”
Nichushkin has been struggling within the collection and taking his frustrations out on his sticks. He acquired on monitor with two targets, together with the tying tally with 13:58 remaining. Lehkonen and Martin Necas additionally added targets, whereas Josh Manson and Makar scored into an empty web.
Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and captain Gabriel Landeskog every added two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer is 8-0 all time in Sport 7s, whereas the Avalanche have misplaced the previous six instances they have been in a decisive seventh sport of a collection.
Requested if he favored Sport 7s, DeBoer responded: “I might quite win in six. I like Sport 7s at residence — I can let you know that.”
Colorado prevented having its season finish by the hands of Dallas in a Sport 6 at residence for a second straight postseason. Stars ahead and former Avalanche participant Matt Duchene ended the second-round collection a yr in the past in double extra time.
Trailing 2-0, the Stars erupted with a four-goal second interval, led by Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz had two targets and two assists, whereas Rantanen added a objective and three assists towards his former group. The Finnish standouts are the primary pair of teammates in league historical past to every file 4 factors in a playoff interval, in keeping with NHL Stats.
Mikael Granlund, one other Finnish participant, additionally scored within the pivotal interval. Oettinger turned again 41 pictures on an evening the Avalanche outshot the Stars by a 48-26 margin.
“Each groups are going to be determined,” Rantanen mentioned of Sport 7. “It is a tight collection. I am anticipating the identical factor Saturday.
There was a scary second within the second interval when Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel misplaced an edge and slid into the boards with Jack Drury on his again. Bichsel stayed down for a second earlier than being helped to the bench. Bichsel returned within the third interval.
