The best sequence of Tuesday’s game belonged to Colorado, and it required no roster excuse or tactical mystery. Martin Nečas and Nathan MacKinnon exchanged the puck early in the second period, with MacKinnon’s backhand feed sending Nečas into a clean one-timer.
At 3:05, the Avalanche had a 2-1 lead and Dallas had a fresh example of what finishing looks like when the important touch arrives on time.
Colorado’s 3-2 victory left Dallas at 2-3-1. Colorado was without Cale Makar for family reasons and dressed only 17 skaters after Zachary L’Heureux became a late scratch. Dallas also lacked Wyatt Johnston because of illness, so the absences were hardly one-sided. Still, the Avalanche’s most influential players made more of the chances that carried the game.
Colorado’s best players made the difference
Nečas scored twice and MacKinnon assisted on two goals. Their even-strength connection was the night’s cleanest attacking moment, but Colorado’s first goal showed a similar willingness to turn a loose puck into something useful. At 11:32 of the opening period, Josh Manson’s shot changed course off MacKinnon’s skate. Artturi Lehkonen reacted first and lifted the puck over Jake Oettinger’s pad.
Dallas did respond before the period ended. Tyler Seguin’s power-play attempt to send the puck across toward Mikko Rantanen took an unexpected deflection off Lehkonen and found the net at 19:06. It was an important goal, and Seguin later helped create Hintz’s score, but Dallas still needed an even-strength finish of its own to match Colorado’s sharper moments.
Nečas then delivered again during a five-on-three advantage at 16:14 of the second. Oettinger stopped Devon Toews’ shot, but Gabriel Landeskog collected the rebound and moved it across to Nečas, who converted from near the side of the net.
The play required a power-play opening, but the decisive part was what followed: Colorado moved the rebound to a scorer quickly, while Dallas’ margin for error disappeared.
The Stars’ opportunities were real. They finished with 26 shots on goal to Colorado’s 25 and held a 59-47 advantage in attempts. Those totals explain why this was a competitive game, while Blackwood’s saves help explain why Colorado won. Mackenzie Blackwood supplied the other half of Colorado’s answer, stopping 24 of 26 shots.
After the Avalanche had taken a 3-1 lead, Blackwood denied Sam Steel on a breakaway at 17:37 of the middle period. At 19:36, he stopped Justin Hryckowian’s one-timer from the slot. The saves came less than two minutes apart and preserved the two-goal cushion.
They were the kind of interventions Dallas needed from Oettinger’s teammates at the other end: chances converted before the opponent could recover.
