Avs Not Satisfied With Forcing Game 7

This is the first time in Colorado Avalanche franchise history that the organization has rallied from being down 3-1 in a playoff series to force a Game 7, but to think that the team has accomplished something in its wins against the Dallas Stars over the last two games is far from accurate.
"There's definitely something that we've done a good job of in turning the tide of the series, but just because we've come this far, our goal isn't to get to Game 7. Our goal is to win Game 7," said Avs veteran Ian Cole, an owner of two Stanley Cup rings in his career. "We still have a lot of work left to do and winning is really the only way to accomplish that."
Colorado can take a little solace in that it has already played and succeeded in two elimination games to continue its run for a championship, while Dallas now faces its first win-or-go home (and leave the bubble) situation of the 2020 postseason.

The Avs scored five goals in the first period and held off the Stars to win 6-3 in Game 5 on Monday and then gave a strong defensive effort and took advantage of their opportunities to earn a 4-1 victory in Game 6 on Wednesday to push the series to the distance.
"To have an outlook on the series just because we won the last two games that we've accomplished something, I just don't find to be accurate," said head coach Jared Bednar. "The game and the series is going to be settled tomorrow. For us, we've basically played two Game 7s already and now Dallas is going to play one, and we have to expect and predict that they're going to come out and play the best game of their series as well. It's getting decided tomorrow. It wasn't decided in Game 1 or 2, and it wasn't decided in Game 5 or 6 either. It comes down to tomorrow night's performance from our team and from theirs."

Colorado and Dallas were both in this exact same position last season, as they each competed in their own Game 7s in Round 2 of the 2019 playoffs. The Stars lost in double overtime to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, and the Avalanche fell the next night at the San Jose Sharks.
While there are certainly parallels between last year's second round against San Jose and this year's versus Dallas, Cole sees this Avs squad now as having much more experience to help them handle a decisive, final game of a set.
"It is a very similar situation, but I think we are a year older, a year more mature. I think we've added some huge pieces to our team, and I think our ability to withstand those momentum swings has gotten better," Cole said. "They're going to come out hard, they're going to push us, they're going to try and win. It's our job to withstand that and certainly turn the tide and make it advantageous for us."

Games like the one that will be contested on Friday are what players want to play in and dream about when they were kids. Children imagine scoring the winning goal in a Game 7 when both teams are on the cusp of winning and losing far more often than any other scenario.
On the edge of elimination, the Avalanche players' zealous effort to put their best game on ice has been apparent over the last several days. They've been eager to do what it takes to extend their season.
For Cole, his enthusiasm to get to game time and compete in a must-win situation has resulted in midnight wakeup calls with some anxious energy.
"I think regardless of where you're born, Game 7 is a universal language. It is definitely a little more excitement, definitely a little more, I don't want say nerves, but definitely excitement to get going and play," Cole said. "I snapped up awake at 4:30 in the morning before Game 6 excited to play--I hope that doesn't happen again with Game 7. Definitely a lot of excitement and a great opportunity that I think everyone on our team is well aware of and trying to take advantage of."
The Avs franchise is 0-4 in series when facing a 3-1 deficit, but the squad has bucked the trend so far against Dallas and looks to keep doing so.
NHL teams holding a 3-1 series lead have won 90.7 percent of the time, but 29 clubs have come back from such a deficit to win in seven games, including twice against Colorado (1998 Edmonton, 2003 Minnesota).
The Avs aim to make it an even 30.

INJURY UPDATES

The status of Gabriel Landeskog, Conor Timmins and others won't be known until closer to game time, as head coach Jared Bednar said it is possible that the Avs could get back one or several of their injured players for Game 7.
"To be honest there is a chance, but I just don't know how probable it is at this point," said Bednar on Thursday. "We're probably not going to know until game time tomorrow on any of those guys."
Timmins and Landeskog both left in the second period of Game 6, with Landeskog returning for a shift in third. Landeskog was cut by a skate blade just above the knee prior to the second intermission.
"Hopefully he's in the lineup," said Nazem Kadri of Landeskog. "He's a big part of our team, he's our captain, a big voice in the dressing room and he leads by example."
Goaltender Philipp Grubauer and defenseman Erik Johnson are both out indefinitely after getting hurt in Game 1, while forwards Matt Calvert and Joonas Donskoi are also injured. Calvert, who has yet to play in the series, skated for a second consecutive day on Thursday.