3 thoughts on Dallas Stars preseason win at Colorado Avalanche

The Dallas Stars improved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 3-2 last-second win against the Colorado Avalanche. Here are my three thoughts.

Special teams converted sometimes

Special teams are not always the best in the preseason, and understandably so. Teams are sending different groups to each game, often filling rosters with young talent. After Dallas and St. Louis combined to go 0-for-8 on Saturday, the Stars and Avs each tallied a 5-on-3 goal tonight.

For Dallas, it was Wyatt Johnston who plucked a rebound out of the crease and converted from the left of the Colorado net. Nils Lundkvist did an excellent job getting the point shot through, while Johnston and Sam Steel created traffic in front.

Johnson appears the early favorite to replace Joe Pavelski in front of the net on the power play. Pavelski was great in the net front or bumper spot because of his deflections, quick hands in tight, and ability/hockey IQ that enabled him to get to the right spots at the right time.

Johnston has all of that. He should be able to tip pucks, find rebounds and quickly throw them into the top shelf, and he can float a bit to find shots from different areas.

Sean Shapiro dove deeper into this–charts included–in his Wyatt Johnston DLLS article.

Colorado added its own 5-on-3 goal during a second period that featured constant special teams–eight penalties including some 5-on-3, 4-on-3, 4-on-4, 5-on-4, and a bit of full strength…. Just a bit.

In two preseason games, Dallas and its opponents have combined for 19 power plays. The Stars have gone 1-12 on the power play, with their PK killing all but one opportunity (6-7).

Lian Bichsel was once again eventful

Lian Bichsel was probably the Stars best defenseman in the preseason opener against St. Louis. In game two, he struggled to kick things off.

In the first period, Bichsel misplayed a 2-on-1 and was a bit too casual when going behind the net to collect a puck. Colorado forechecked hard, lifted Bichsel’s stick, took the puck, and converted a tic-tac-toe backdoor goal. It was a good lesson for the 20-year-old, likely one that will have his coaches preaching intensity on the puck and around his own net.

It was not all bad for the big defenseman though, he was still physical and got into a bit of a scrap on the boards in the second. Oh, and did I mention that he hammered a slap shot with 0.2 seconds left to win the game for the Stars? Well, he did–after a nice hustle play by Ilya Lyubushkin to win a puck in the corner.

Colin Blackwell was an excellent signing

The Stars added Colin Blackwell to fill in for some of the depth lost this summer–like Radek Faksa. Blackwell can play wing or center, kills penalties, and thrives in the two-way game that Stars coach Pete DeBoer loves.

If he can add a bit of offense (career-high 22 points in 2020-21, 12 points in 44 games last season with Chicago), Blackwell should be a huge signing for Dallas.

In the third period tonight, Blackwell jumped in on the forecheck, intercepted a D-to-D pass behind the net and threw the puck out front in the area of three wide-open teammates. Arttu Hyry found the loose puck and tied the game at two with a sneaky snap shot past the glove.

The fourth line for Dallas could vary during the season, but the trio most likely to start in that spot–in my opinion–is Blackwell, Sam Steel, and Evgenii Dadonov.

• Pete DeBoer did not travel with the team after a training camp physical showed an issue that required surgery to remove his appendix.