Mittelstadt making difference in 1st playoff run with Avalanche

DALLAS -- Casey Mittelstadt wasn’t sure what to expect in his first experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The center, acquired by the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Bowen Byram on March 6, said he’s tried to “treat it like another game.”

“It’s definitely different,” Mittelstadt said. “It’s been pretty fun. Got to try to keep it rolling for sure.”

With his help, the Avalanche’s season continues, at least for one more game. Mittelstadt scored at 1:12 of the third period, giving Colorado its first in-game lead in five games en route to a 5-3 win against the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old also scored in Game 4 and has three points in his past four games.

The Avalanche, who trail 3-2 in the best-of-7 series, forced Game 6 at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday (10 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, SN, TVAS).

“I think that's huge for him because even earlier in the game, he gets a chance walking in on a 2-on-1, he's kind of all alone and loses it off his stick; so, he hasn't capitalized on some of his best opportunities, but he scores last game off the forecheck, he scores again tonight,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said Wednesday. “I mean, any offense that you can start to chip in, it's just not easy to create. Even our top guys are having a really tough time because checking is something that all the coaches are stressing and the buy-in from the teams are so high, especially when you get down to the final eight.

“He played a rock-solid game defensively and was able to chip in again tonight, which is huge. It's been a huge addition for us.”

Mittelstadt has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 10 playoff games. He had 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists) in 62 games with the Sabres before the trade, and 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 regular-season games with the Avalanche.

After Colorado eliminated the Winnipeg Jets in five games in the first round, Bednar said its Trade Deadline acquisitions “rejuvenated our team because we filled some needs that we had.” The Avalanche also acquired forwards Brandon Duhaime from the Minnesota Wild and Yakov Trenin from the Nashville Predators, and defenseman Sean Walker from the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on March 8.

“You look at a couple of those games against Winnipeg, he was making plays that got our team going,” Colorado defenseman Josh Manson said of Mittelstadt. “He’s a good playmaker, has that patience with the puck, plays with his head up. He’s strong in battles down low.

“He can control the puck and definitely be a game-changer for us on that second line. We kind of need that after the first line. Let them go do their thing -- they’re buzzing, and then you have to have a second line that can come in and contribute and find ways to keep that momentum flowing.”

Mittelstadt’s linemates have changed a few times over the first 10 games of the postseason. They’ve included left wings Artturi Lehkonen and Zach Parise; Mittelstadt, a native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, watched the latter growing up when Parise played for the Wild. He’s also played with wings Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen, but he’s meshed with all of them.

“He’s been great,” Rantanen said. “He really looks like he loves to learn stuff and he likes hockey. You can tell that he’s a student of the game and an unreal player too.

“He’s been adjusting well to our system and our style of play. I feel like his game took another step when we started the playoffs. That’s obviously an area you love in players you have on a team, and he’s one of them.”

Mittelstadt said it took him a little time to get used to the Avalanche’s “different” system, as well as the overall speed they possess.

“Sometimes it still shocks me how fast we can play and how good of skaters we have,” he said. “The speed has been fun; a challenge at first, but a lot of fun now.”

It's been quite the spring for Mittelstadt, from joining one of the better teams in the Central Division to playing in the NHL postseason for the first time after being a first-round pick by the Sabres (No. 8) at the 2017 NHL Draft. Buffalo has not qualified for the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.

Mittelstadt’s game is exactly what the Avalanche have needed this time of year.

“You want to be consistent and really play the best you can every night,” he said. “I’m still probably trying to find that out a little bit, but through the first few games here it’s been pretty good, especially for my first playoff run.

“[I’ve] got to try to keep it going.”