DENVER — The Dallas Stars overcame mutiple deficits but allowed a third-period comeback in a 7-4 Game 6 loss against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Thursday.
You make your own (puck) luck
Puck luck is a very real thing in hockey. However, you can often create your own lucky bounces… and that is exactly what Colorado did in the first period.
The Avalanche racked up 19 shots in the first period. 19! That’s up there with the 22 shots in the second period of Game 4 that got Jake Oettinger pulled after 40 minutes. And similarly to that game, the Stars looked decent to start the period. But as it went on, Colorado began skating downhill, and Dallas had no answer.
The goals themselves were lucky bounces… not even Avs fans will argue that.
First, Valeri Nichushkin’s shot deflected off Esa Lindell and Ilya Lyubushkin into the back of the net.
Then Cale Makar, who was buzzing in the first period and has the most shot attempts of any skater in the series, completely shanked a one-timer at the point off the heel of his blade. The slow-moving puck slid into the slot, and Arturri Lehkonen beat Cody Ceci to the spot to poke it past Jake Oettinger.
Yes, puck luck. That’s clear. But it’s also Colorado beating Dallas to every loose puck and creating chaos in the offensive zone.
The heavy Colorado push was expected. They were in do-or-die mode. And I believe the Stars would have been fine trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes. Then they could’ve come out, settled into the game, and been within a shot. But the second one hurt. Dallas is all too familiar with that deficit in this building.
This time, they will have to figure out how to stop this push before it gets too late, as it did in Game 4.
Side note: the game-winning goal… just insane.
Finnish, Finnish, Finnish
Okay, so this was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen.
Dallas got dominated in the first period and were still allowing a ton of shots in the second. Yet somehow, the Stars finished the second period leading 4-3. Sure, that’s nuts. But that’s not what I am referring to.
I am referencing the 10…TEN points from Finnish players in the game. And even crazier is the fact that nine of those points came from Dallas Finns… ALL IN THE SECOND PERIOD.
Roope Hintz scored twice and had two assists, Mikael Granlund converted a breakaway, and Mikko Rantanen made a great play to set up Hintz on his second, added another, and scored his first-ever goal as a visitor in Ball Arena.
To recap:
- Hintz: 2G, 2A
- Rantanen: 2G, 2A
- Granlund: 1G
This is also pretty good:
Is that not absurd????? I know there are a lot of Finns on the Stars, but nine points in one period and all coming from one line is just wild.
“We were just finishing (heyyoooo) chances,” Mikko Rantanen said.
That second period felt like 3v3 overtime. It was nonstop action, wide open, excellent goaltending, high stress, and all of the other things. Mostly, it was a lot of fun.
On the more negative side of things, Lian Bichsel left the game during the second period after heavily falling into the boards. As Bichsel fell, he was in an exposed spot with his arm extended. After hitting the boards, he lay flat on the ice, grabbing at his shoulder but otherwise not moving.
Bichsel was eventually helped off the ice on his skates — it did not look good. But somehow, some way, Bichsel returned for the third period… hockey players.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said Bichsel was fine but did not provide any further update.
There will be a Game 7
There may have been some awful bounces against Dallas. There may have been some missed calls on both sides. It may have been one of the craziest games I have ever seen, especially that second period. Dallas may have had a lead in the third period with a chance to advance. Colorado may have blown a 2-0 lead.
But guess what? NONE OF THAT MATTERS.
Because on Saturday in Dallas, the Stars and Avalance will face off in a winner-take-all Game 7 at American Airlines Center.
It doesn’t matter how they got there. All that matters now is who wins that game.
60 minutes (or more) to decide which team goes home for the summer and which advances to take on the Winnipeg Jets or St. Louis Blues in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While both would have rather ended the series earlier, it is going to be a hell of an atmosphere and a hell of a game.
I can’t wait.
Quotable
Mikko Rantanen on Game 7:
“Game 7, everybody knows what that means.”
