Avalanche, Stars Set for Crucial Game 5 Showdown in Dallas

DALLAS, Texas — The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars will face off in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series on Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center. The best-of-seven series is currently tied 2-2, with the Avalanche having outscored the Stars 13-7 in the four games.

Dallas is seeking more offensive production from its top players. They currently share the league record for the fewest goals in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, tied with the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning. Stars coach Pete DeBoer expressed concern over the lack of contributions from key players as they look to turn the series in their favor.

“I don’t think any of our big guys have delivered yet in this series,” DeBoer said regarding the team’s performance. He added, “the beauty of this is, it’s time now.”

The Avalanche, on the other hand, saw their captain Gabriel Landeskog return from a knee injury, scoring a goal in Game 4. Despite this, the Stars will be without their top defenseman Miro Heiskanen due to a knee injury, leaving a gap in their defensive lineup.

Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is leading the playoffs with four goals, and goes into Game 5 hoping to maintain that momentum. Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood recently recorded his first career playoff shutout and has been performing well with a save percentage of .939.

The Stars managed to secure a win in Game 3 during overtime but faced a setback in Game 4, losing 4-0. They hope to regain the winning momentum on home ice, where they are 4-0 in their last four playoff games against Colorado.

“It’s what it’s all about, a Game 5, a chance to take the lead at home. We should all be excited,” Stars goalie Jake Oettinger said.

Historically, teams holding a 3-2 series lead in the playoffs have won the series 79.2 percent of the time, adding further pressure to both teams ahead of Game 5. The competition is set to be intense as both teams aim to leverage their strengths and make necessary adjustments.