Avalanche Look To Win Game Two In Dallas After Game One Thriller

Game Two Info

When: Thursday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. MT

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

TV: TNT, MAX, truTV, SN, SN360, and TVAS

Radio: Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM

It'll be nearly impossible for Game Two of the Avalanche-Stars series to top Game One.

After trailing 3-0 heading into the first intermission, the Avalanche stormed back in with two goals in the second period and the equalizer in the third before Miles Wood scored the game-winner at 11:03 of overtime to give the Avalanche a 1-0 series lead.

Wood's goal was his third of the postseason and his first-career overtime goal in the regular season or playoffs. It capped off an incredible comeback that a Valeri Nichushkin power-play goal started from the left doorstep at 5:31. Nichushkin, who leads the league with eight playoff goals, has now scored in the first six games of the playoffs, which is a franchise record and tied for the second-longest streak in NHL history.

Another Avalanche record was set during the game, as Cale Makar's power-play goal from the point at 9:08 made him the franchise leader among defensemen in goals, assists, and points in the regular season and playoffs.

On the day he was named a Hart Memorial Trophy finalist, Nathan MacKinnon tied the game off a rebound from the right doorstep at 39 seconds of the third period. It was his third goal of the playoffs and 47th career playoff goal, which ranks third all-time among Avalanche.

What To Watch For: Avalanche

• Don't put this team on the power play. The Avalanche are 8/18 (44.4%) on the power play, which is the second-best percentage in the league among playoff teams, behind the Edmonton Oilers (45%). In Game One, the Avalanche were 2/2 on the power play.
• Mikko Rantanen is two points away from 100 playoff points. In 76 games, he's posted 32 goals and 66 assists, while his 98 points are fourth-most in franchise history.

What To Watch For: Stars

• Forward Wyatt Johnston scored his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs in Game One. At 20 years and 344 days, he became the 12th-youngest player in NHL history to score at least five goals in the first eight games of a playoff.
• After allowing four goals on 15 shots for a .733SV% in Game One in the first round against the Vegas Golden Knights, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger posted a fantastic .942SV% through the rest of the series. After posting an .846SV% in Game One against the Avalanche, history has shown he can bounce back.

Keys To The Game

1. Slow Down The Stars: According to NHL EDGE, Dallas has posted 184 bursts of at least 20 mph, which is second in the league behind the Avalanche, who've posted 224.
2. Make Life Difficult For Oettinger: Two of the four Avalanche goals in Game One came from in-tight off of rebounds, preventing Oettinger from getting set.
3. Stay Out Of The Box: At 27.8%, the Stars have posted the league's fifth-best power play after going 1/4 in Game One. If the Avalanche stay out of the penalty box, they'll have a great chance to win the game.

Colorado Projected Lines

Valeri Nichushkin-Nathan MacKinnon-Mikko Rantanen

Artturi Lehkonen-Casey Mittelstadt-Zach Parise

Miles Wood-Ross Colton-Chris Wagner

Brandon Duhaime-Yakov Trenin-Andrew Cogliano

Devon Toews-Cale Makar

Samuel Girard-Josh Manson

Jack Johnson-Sean Walker

Alexandar Georgiev

Justus Annunen

Dallas Projected Lines

Jason Robertson-Roope Hintz-Wyatt Johnston

Jamie Benn-Matt Duchene-Logan Stankoven

Mason Marchment-Tyler Seguin-Joe Pavelski

Evgenii Dadonov-Sam Steel-Craig Smith

Thomas Harley-Miro Heiskanen

Esa Lindell-Chris Tanev

Ryan Suter-Nils Lundkvist

Jake Oettinger

Scott Wedgewood