The Dallas Stars tied the game in the third period, and Colin Blackwell scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 Game 2 win against the Colorado Avalance at American Airlines Center on Tuesday.

Penalties, penalties, penalties

I wrote today about the importance of staying out of the box. Read that if you didn’t (it still has some good info in it!).

The penalties you accept as a coach are those that take away a golden scoring chance or a goal, or the calls that come from hard work.

Mason Marchment’s first-period penalty was neither of those. And these are EXACTLY the ones you cannot take in this series. Marchment turned the puck over trying a long stretch pass with his feed standing still along the wall in the neutral zone. The pass missed, Colorado turned it the other way, and Marchment reached, tripping Miles Wood.

The result…

The rest of the night, Dallas gave Colorado two more power plays, but killed off both, including one late in the third and into overtime.

Gamesmanship at its finest

Gamesmanship is very real in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But tonight, the Avs went very far in the gamesmanship category.

After being activated off IR today, Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog warmed up with the team off ice, came skating out for warmup, and even participated in the second round of line rushes.

Due to injury, Landeskog has not played an NHL game since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. Everything was set for his triumphant return and a huge storyline in Big D… he was wearing the ‘C’, Colorado dropped an ‘A’ from Devon Toews, and Landeskog was even listed on the game roster, with Wood as a scratch.

Then the teams left the ice, and the Avalanche game roster was updated… Landeskog was listed as a healthy scratch, and Wood was back in.

UNLESS Landeskog did not feel good enough to play and this was a health decision, it is a hilarious example of gamesmanship from Colorado and coach Jared Bednar. Does it have any effect whatsoever? No clue. Stars coach Pete DeBoer said his day doesn’t change whether or not the opponent gives out a lineup change or chooses not to disclose lineup information (Bednar always does this).

“I’m going to go home, I’m going to have a meal, I’m going to have a nap,” DeBoer said. “I’m not thinking about Jared Bednar and what he says today. I don’t think he’s thinking about me… I hope not.”

Funny stuff, and not the last instance of this in the series or playoffs. I’m here for it.

Colin Blackwell & Tyler Seguin

Colin Blackwell stole the show tonight. The veteran fourth liner was a healthy scratch in Game 1, but was one of the more noticeable skaters in Game 2 and sealed the win with his first NHL overtime goal.

Blackwell was fired up, rapidly answering questions first on ESPN then in the massive scrum inside the Stars dressing room.

Standing nearby waiting for his turn was Tyler Seguin.

Seguin stood next to me in the back and slowly began inching his way closer to the scrum. Then he started chirping Blackwell about still being fired up and talking too fast. Then Seguin grew impatient as the questions continued and started yelling that it was time to wrap it up.

Seguin, the new dad, was ready to call it a night. And what a fun night it was.

Quotable

Stars coach Pete DeBoer on Colin Blackwell

“He was a consideration for Game 1. He’s had a great year, played really well… I talked to him when he didn’t play in Game 1 and told him, ‘be ready, you’re not going to be out long.’ I wanted to get him into Game 2, he’s one of those energy guys. I thought after losing Game 1 we needed a little shot of energy… I thought he was effective all night, but it’s also great to see a guy like that get a goal.”