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Shutout the Stars

Gabriel Landeskog scored his first NHL goal since June 20, 2022, and added an assist as the Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 4-0 in Game Four to tie the First Round at two games apiece on Saturday at Ball Arena. Logan O'Connor, Nathan MacKinnon and Samuel Girard each scored for Colorado while Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in his first-career Stanley Cup Playoff shutout.

"Obvisously I've envisioned scoring again for a long time," Landeskog said. "And then there were obviously days where I didn't know if I was gonna get to score again. It feels good and it's a tight playoff series and a big game here at home [and we] get to do it in front of our fans obviously means a lot."

That game marked the 19th multi-point Stanley Cup Playoff game of Landeskog's career and the first since June 20, 2022.

"It was more than just a playoff goal I think," MacKinnon said about Landeskog's tally. "It was a life goal."

Saturday's contest marked the first time since Game Four of the 2022 Western Conference Final that both Landeskog and MacKinnon scored in the same game.

“There’s only one Gabe Landeskog in the world," MacKinnon said. "That kind of person and player. We missed him. There was a big hole in our room for three years and it’s nice to have him back and it means the world to all of us.”

How It Happened

O'Connor opened the scoring while the Avs were shorthanded at 12:39 of the first period with his second goal of the playoffs on a breakaway he took the puck from Stars defenseman Thomas Harley.

The Avs doubled their lead on the power play at 19:36 of the first period when MacKinnon scored his fourth goal of the playoffs via a left-circle one-timer set up by Devon Toews' feed after he received a pass from Jonathan Drouin.

Scoring his first goal since June 20, 2022, Landeskog gave the Avs a 3-0 lead at 13:10 of the second period with a slapshot from the high slot set up by Brock Nelson's feed.

To begin the third period, Casey DeSmith replaced Jake Oettinger in Dallas' net.

Girard gave the Avalanche a 4-0 lead at 10:46 of the third period with his first goal of the playoffs via a wrist shot from the point through Landeskog's screen.

Next Up

The Avalanche travel to Dallas to face the Stars in Game Five on Monday at 7:30 p.m. MT on Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN, Sportsnet, SN360 and TVA Sports.