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Peter DeBoer drops 8-word admission after Stars Game 7 victory over Avalanche

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Owen Crisafulli | Last updated May 4, 2025 9:34 AM ET

Things didn’t look good for the Dallas Stars early in the third period after Nathan MacKinnon scored a goal to put the Colorado Avalanche up 2-0 in the deciding Game 7 matchup between these two squads. Dallas ended up having one more rally in them, though, as they rattled off four unanswered goals to pick up a 4-2 victory and advance to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After the game, though, Stars head coach Peter DeBoer made sure to tip his cap to the Avalanche.

This series was grueling for both sides, but particularly for Dallas, as they were without both Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen for all seven games. It ultimately didn’t matter, as the Stars still managed to get past the Avs in their tricky first-round matchup. Immediately after Game 7, though, DeBoer gave Colorado credit for engaging in an all-out battle with them.

“That was an absolute gauntlet of a series,” DeBoer said in the wake of his team’s series-clinching victory.

Peter DeBoer, Stars turn their attention towards second round matchup

Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer looks on against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. © Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

It’s always fair to wonder how much of an impact these sorts of grueling series will have on a team, but the Stars are simply happy to have found their way past a worthy opponent in the Avalanche. They will take some time to rest up before turning their attention to the second round, because if all goes according to plan, their work is only getting started.

What should help Dallas out is that DeBoer revealed the team is expecting to get both Robertson and Heiskanen back at some point in their upcoming series. They will play the winner of the Winnipeg Jets/St. Louis Blues first-round series, with Game 7 taking place on Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET. Once the Stars opponent is known, the schedule for their second-round series will be revealed.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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