Colorado Avalanche (3-2-0) @ Dallas Stars (2-2-1)
6:30 p.m. MDT | American Airlines Center | Watch: ESPN, ESPN App | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM), Altitude Sports Radio App
The Avalanche travels to Dallas to face the Stars in the first game of a back-to-back against its division foe. This is the first of four regular-season meetings between the teams in 2026-27, as they’ll play in Denver on October 14th, in Dallas on January 22nd and in Colorado on January 24th.
Latest Result (COL): TOR 6, COL 3
Latest Result (DAL): DAL 1, PIT 2 (SO)
A Loss at Home
The Avalanche lost 6-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ball Arena on Saturday. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for Colorado while Brock Nelson also added a tally. Nick Blankenburg opened the scoring for Toronto at 3:03 of the first period with a shot from the right slot. The Avs tied the game at 10:46 of the first period when MacKinnon scored his fourth goal of the season via a shot from the doorstep off the rush. MacKinnon gave Colorado a 2-1 lead at 15:14 of the first period with his fifth goal of the season via a shot from the high slot. Toronto’s William Nylander tied the game with a power-play goal via a shot from the doorstep at 6:53 of the second period. Nelson gave the Avs a 3-2 lead at 12:25 of the middle frame with his second goal of the season via a shot from the slot. Nylander tied the game at 16:47 of the second period via a shot from the slot, and Easton Cowan gave Toronto a 4-3 lead at 17:33 of the middle frame with a right-circle one-timer. Auston Matthews made it 5-3 with a power-play goal from the slot at 12:02 of the third period and scored his second tally of the game via an empty-netter to make it 6-3 at 19:21 of the final frame.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is tied for sixth in the NHL in goals (5) and points (10).
All Hail Cale
Among NHL defensemen, Cale Makar is second in goals (3) and tied for third in points (7).
Marty Party
Martin Necas is tied for fourth on the Avalanche in points (5) and assists (3).
Series History
In 118 previous regular-season games against the Stars, the Avalanche has a record of 57-40-8-13. The teams have met in seven different playoff series and a Round Robin seeding game in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A Shootout in the Steel City
The Stars lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. In the third period, Connor Dewar opened the scoring for Pittsburgh at 1:57 before Tyler Seguin tied the game for Dallas at 19:30. After two shootout goals from each team, Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell scored the winner in the fourth round.
Scorers Against the Stars
MacKinnon has posted 53 points (20g/33a) in 48 regular-season games against the Stars, in addition to 29 points (14g/15a) in 21 playoff contests.
Makar has registered 23 points (7g/16a) in 21 regular-season contests against Dallas, along with 20 points (7g/13a) in 21 playoff games.
Necas has recorded 19 points (7g/12a) in 22 regular-season games against the Stars, in addition to five points (1g/4a) in seven playoff contests.
Dallas’ Stars
Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars in points (6) while ranking tied for first on the team in goals (2) and assists (4).
Jason Robertson is tied for the Stars lead in goals (2), tied for second in points (4) and tied for third in assists (2).
Miro Heiskanen is tied for first on the Stars in goals (2), tied for fourth in points (3) and tied for fifth in assists (1).
A Numbers Game
5.20
Colorado’s 5.20 goals per game leads the NHL.
3
The Avalanche’s three first-period goals against are tied for the fifth fewest in the NHL.
9
MacKinnon’s nine points at five-on-five this season are the second most among NHL players.
Quote That Left a Mark
“I think everybody gets excited for division matchups. Obviously, the history between us and the Stars, everybody knows what that’s all about. We haven’t seen them yet this year, so it’ll be good to get familiar with one another and they’re always good games.”
-- Gabriel Landeskog on facing the Stars
