(Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
In the words of Pantera, the Dallas Stars sent the Vegas Golden Knights’ hopes of winning back-to-back Stanley Cups to the “Cemetery Gates.” However, after last night’s 2-1 win Game 7 win, Dallas’ round two won’t be any easier.
In the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Stars will play the Colorado Avalanche. It is the fourth all-time meeting between the two teams in the Playoffs. The Stars have won all three meetings. Every series went to a Game 7. Both teams played in the 1999 and 2000 Western Conference Finals. The last time came in the 2020 second round with Joel Kiviranta scoring a hat trick in overtime.
The two teams played each other four times and the Stars’ record was 1-2-1. How did every game go?
Nov. 18 meeting in Dallas: From pretty to ugly
After Tyler Seguin scored his second goal of the game at 2:12 in the second period to make it 3-0 Dallas, Colorado scored six unanswered goals with scoring two goals in the second period and four goals in the third period. Cale Makar recorded 3 assists; Ross Colton, Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin recorded 1 goal and an assist. Avalanche won 6-3.
Jan. 4 meeting in Dallas: Third period collapse
After Seguin scored at 9:07 in the third period to make it 4-2 Stars, Jonathan Drouin and Rantanen each scored in a 9:06 span to tie the game at 4. At 3:40 of overtime, Nathan MacKinnon scored the overtime winner to give the Avalanche the 4-3 win. This was the game that Miro Heiskanen left the game with a lower-body injury.
Feb. 27 meeting in Denver: Happiness in 1 minute to being unhappy real quick
Logan Stankoven scored his second career goal 1 minute into the game for Dallas. After his goal, the Avalanche scored five unanswered to win 5-1 including three goals in the second period.
April 7 meeting in Denver: Statement made in the final meeting
After losing the first three meetings, the Stars made a statement road win to help their case to win the Central Division. Thomas Harley recorded 3 assists; Seguin scored twice; Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston each recorded 1 goal and 2 assists.
The Avalanche defeated the Jets in 5 games in the first round. After losing Game 1 by a final of 7-6, the Avalanche won the next four games. Colorado’s big three of MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen each lead the team with 9 points in the Playoffs.
All three players recorded 2 goals and 7 assists against the Jets. MacKinnon recorded 140 points (51G, 89A) in the regular season to lead the Avalanche and was second in the NHL. Rantanen recorded 104 points (42G, 62A) and Makar recorded 90 points (21G, 69A).
Nichuskin is tied with the Oilers’ Zach Hyman with 7 goals. In Game 4 against the Jets, Nichuskin recorded a hat trick. Arturri Lehkonen also has 8 points (5G, 3A). Goaltender Alexander Georgiev recorded a 3.03 GAA and .900 SV% in the first round against the Jets.
Game 1 of the series starts tomorrow with puck drop at 8:30 p.m. CT. The Avalanche come into this series on seven-day rest after their 6-3 win on April 30. The Stars enter on two days of rest.
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