3 Takeaways From Stars 2-1 OT Win Over Avalanche in Game 3

Besides that play, the Stars did an incredible job taking the play to the Avalanche and limiting Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar’s chances in the Dallas zone. Holding down those two for 60 minutes is impossible, so when they did have their chances, along with the rest of the team, Oettinger met them with an incredible night between the pipes.

In Game 1, the Stars seemed to be pressing offensively far too often. In the last two games, however, they’ve let the play come to them. Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has been terrific through three games, so trusting the offensive process is a must. That proved to be true at 9:18 of the third period, when Jamie Benn, from the mid-slot, tipped a Thomas Harley shot just below the crossbar to tie the game 1-1. Those are the types of goals teams need in the playoffs, and it all comes from trusting the process. It’s not always going to be flashy, but if they go in the net, it counts. It doesn’t matter how.

Special Teams Standout Again for Stars

This could have easily fit in the first takeaway, but the special teams were so beautiful that we have to give them their own headline. When I say beautiful, I’m talking about the penalty kill. We’ll get to the power play in a moment.

The Stars’ penalty kill ranked fourth in the NHL in the regular season, clocking in at an 82% success rate, so it’s not a surprise that it’s doing well. However, this is the Avalanche we’re talking about. Aside from having the eighth-ranked power play at 24.8%, they also have MacKinnon – oh, and Makar – who are pretty deadly.

The Stars’ penalty kill through three games is, again, the fourth-best in the playoffs at 84.6%. On Wednesday, they were a perfect 6-6 when down a man, including that double-minor that bled into overtime, while the Avalanche had only seven shots on the power play. Oh, and the Stars had three shots shorthanded. Their penalty kill was a masterclass, and we’ll see what adjustments are made on both sides as this series moves forward.

Ok, now the power play. It has not been perfect, even horrible at times, which isn’t a surprise, considering the up-and-down nature of their power play throughout the season. It was awful to start the campaign. In the second half, it was amazing. Then, in the last few weeks, it was awful again. That’s just how it’s been in 2024-25.

Through three games, the Stars’ power play is eighth in the playoffs at 30%. As bad as it has looked, it’s the timing that has stood out. The Stars were 1-for-3 with the man advantage on Wednesday, and that was Benn’s goal to tie the game halfway through the third period. Can’t get more clutch than that. Sure, it hasn’t looked great, but when they needed it to come through, it did.

Storylines Collide on Wednesday Night in Denver

This Round 1 series between the Stars and Avalanche has storylines on top of in-game intrigue. To start, there was the incredible return of Gabriel Landeskog. After not playing since Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, Landeskog made his return on Wednesday night. If you didn’t see it, it was an absolute scene in Ball Arena, and rightfully so. The Avalanche captain led the team with six hits in 13:16 of ice time and moved up and down the lineup throughout the night.

Next, and slightly overshadowed by the Landeskog story, was the return of Rantanen to Colorado, where he played for 10 years and won the Stanley Cup just a few seasons ago. He’s been noticeable throughout the series, but not overly. That changed last night when Rantannen created a turnover at Dallas’ blue line in overtime, passed the puck to Mason Marchment, then rushed off the ice so Tyler Seguin could jump on the ice and score the overtime winner.

Last but certainly not least is the storyline of the Old Guard. Benn has been stuck at 399 career regular-season goals for weeks and had two goals taken away by a coach’s challenge towards the end of the season. While it won’t count as goal 400, his first goal of the series tied the game at a crucial point and gave his team a chance to win in overtime. The second half of the Old Guard is Seguin. He returned from surgery and rehab just eight days ago and has two goals in the playoffs, including Wednesday night’s game-winner. There’s not much more to add to that one. Simply remarkable.

Stars Have the Avalanche Right Where They Want Them

The Stars lost Game 1 by a score of 5-1. Sure, it was closer than the score would suggest, but in the playoffs, moral victories mean nothing. With no Jason Robertson or Miro Heiskanen, their chances seemed bleak heading into Game 2. Well, just a few nights later, the Stars are up 2-1 in the series, and the pressure is now on the Avalanche.

Ifs and buts are candy and nuts, or whatever that expression is. But if the Stars win Game 4 in Denver on Saturday, they will be one win away from having a stranglehold on the series. You can’t count out the Avalanche, given the talent on their roster, but we’re learning that you can’t count out the Stars, either.