Colorado Avalanche Faces Elimination Against Dallas Stars in Game 6

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche will try to avoid elimination against the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round at Ball Arena on Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Currently down 3-2 in the series, the Avalanche last overcame a similar deficit to win a best-of-7 series in 2002. The team confronted this challenge in the past two playoffs but failed to advance. Last year, Colorado lost 2-1 in double overtime in Game 6 to the Stars, despite having won Game 4 4-0.

Coach Jared Bednar remains optimistic despite the odds. “This is a challenge for us, right? Like, it’s a really good team. We feel like we’ve played some good hockey,” he said. He emphasized the need for confidence and executing their game plan.

A key player for the Avalanche is Nathan MacKinnon, who has seven points in the series. He notes, “We have a great game plan, and when we execute that, the pucks seem to find the back of the net naturally.”

The Stars, in contrast, displayed strong offensive efforts in Game 5 with a 6-2 victory, led by forwards Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin. Goalie Jake Oettinger, who faced significant shots in Game 4, rebounded impressively to secure the win.

The Avalanche have also faced challenges in their lineup. Miro Heiskanen remains sidelined for the Stars due to a knee injury, complicating their defense strategy. Meanwhile, Blackwood, the Avalanche’s goalie, must shake off a tough Game 5, where he was pulled after allowing multiple goals.

The game will be broadcasted on TBS and streamed on Altitude+ and MAX. Colorado is favored again, although they trail in the series, prompting urgency for a strong comeback performance. The stakes are high as the Avalanche strive to remain in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.

In front of what promises to be a packed arena, both teams will be looking to maximize their efforts and take control of the series.