In a nail-biting contest that had fans on the edge of their seats, the Dallas Stars edged out the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night. Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen secured the win for the Stars with their shootout goals, while goaltender Jake Oettinger denied Nathan MacKinnon's final attempt for the Avalanche.
Oettinger proved to be a crucial factor in the Stars' victory, racking up 35 saves throughout the game and an additional two in the shootout. The loss spoiled a milestone night for Colorado's Brent Burns, who recorded an assist for his first point with the Avalanche. Burns also marked his 1,500th career game, becoming only the eighth defenseman in NHL history to reach this milestone. He also extended his ironman streak to 928 games, the longest active streak in the NHL.
The game was a back-and-forth affair with momentum swings and physical play. Thomas Harley contributed a goal and an assist for the Stars, while Nathan Bastian and Jason Robertson scored just over three minutes apart in the second period, briefly handing Dallas a 3-2 lead. For the Avalanche, Marty Necas and Nathan MacKinnon each had a goal and two assists, but were ultimately stopped by Oettinger in the shootout. Gavin Brindley scored his first career goal, giving Colorado a 2-1 lead in the second period.
The third period saw a flurry of goals, with Artturi Lehkonen tying the game for the Avalanche just 34 seconds in. Wyatt Johnston quickly responded with a breakaway goal for the Stars a minute and a half later. MacKinnon then scored on a power play to tie the game again midway through the period.
Rantanen, who had previously eliminated his former team, the Avalanche, in the first round of the playoffs with a third-period hat trick last spring, once again played a pivotal role. He beat Scott Wedgewood in the shootout to secure the victory for the Stars. Wedgewood ended the night with 18 saves and one shootout stop.
The game had a playoff atmosphere, with both teams displaying intensity and physicality. After the game, the Stars prepared to host the Minnesota Wild, and the Avalanche prepared to travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres.
