Good & Bad: On The Brink of Elimination — Avalanche No-Show in Game 5 Loss

That couldn’t have gone any worse.

From Monday’s Game 5 opening puck drop at American Airlines Center, the ice was tilted in the Dallas Stars’ favor. They responded to their embarrassing Game 4 loss at Ball Arena by stunning Mackenzie Blackwood with a goal just nine seconds in. And the rest is history.

The Avalanche were defeated 6-2 in just about their most frustrating performance of the season. There were uncharacteristic blunders throughout the night. They had too many no-shows from vital pieces of the lineup. And if that wasn’t bad enough, some of the calls against them were atrocious.

Now, Colorado trails the series 3-2 and heads home on the brink of elimination. Game 6 is on Thursday.

Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored when they were trailing 3-0, but that surge didn’t last long. Before you could prepare for a potential comeback, Dallas added two goals and seemingly put the game away before the second period was over.

The opening goal was scored off a tight angle. Wyatt Johnston, who had yet to score in the series, put it between Blackwood and the post to make it 1-0 early. Colorado had an entire period to fight back, but couldn’t get one past Jake Oettinger at the other end. The Stars’ netminder finished with 26 saves.

Before the period was over, a shot from the Stars went off Blackwood’s blocker and up into the air, came down, and hit the back of Blackwood and trickled in. It was that kind of night. The second terrible goal from Colorado’s starter.

Dallas added to their lead early in the third period. After a save at one end, the Stars rushed up the ice the other way and Mikko Rantanen found the scoresheet, getting his first goal of the series, too.

Mixed into all these Stars goals were a whole bunch of good looks for the Avs. At one point, they were out-chancing Dallas 8-6 but trailing 3-0. The offensive opportunities were there, but the commitment to defense was not. Turnovers were an issue. That was a gigantic drop-off from Game 4.

The Avs finally got some life off a nice redirection goal from Lehkonen. And just over two minutes later, MacKinnon beat Oettinger to make it a one-goal game. For a moment, it felt like the Avs were going to crawl out of this and make it interesting.

But a bad penalty called on Sam Malinski quickly put that to rest. Johnston tallied a goal on the ensuing power play to make it 4-2. And before the period ended, Mason Marchment redirected a shot from Alexander Petrovic to regain a three-goal cushion.

Colorado pulled Blackwood after the second period, letting Scott Wedgewood finish the game. He didn’t let in a goal, but Dallas added an empty-netter for good measure.

The series that keeps on delivering will now shift back to Ball Arena. If the Avs lose, it’ll be another disappointing loss to the Stars. If they win, it’ll set up a Game 7 on Saturday at American Airlines Center.

We’ll see how Jared Bednar’s club responds.

Bad: Letting the Stars’ stars into the series

This was something I’ve been writing about for days. If you were going to win this series without the nerves of past failures creeping in, you were going to need another solid effort in Game 5, similar to the one two nights prior.

The Stars’ top stars were not yet in the series. None of them were producing offensively. But after the game they had on Monday, they’ve got all the confidence in the world to come to Denver and end this thing before Game 7.

Johnston had two goals and an assist.

Rantanen had a goal and two assists.

Roope Hintz had a goal and an assist.

This was never going to be easy, but that performance on Monday has made this that much harder. The Avs have to battle through the demons of losing at home in Game 6 to the Stars last year, while juggling the many, many previous Game 7 losses they’ve had in years past, if they force a winner-take-all finale.

Good: …

I need to preface this by saying that I’m not usually one to call out bad officiating. I’m a believer that the calls usually balance out for both teams. But … this one was different.

This game wasn’t won or lost because of penalty calls.

But, I guess I’ll say it like this: Kudos to the Dallas Stars for finding a way to get the calls they got tonight. “Good” on them.

The Malinski penalty changed the tune of the game when the Avs had found life. Did he get an elbow up? Sure. Yes. But the sell job was impeccable. If Malinski was going to the box, Sam Steel should’ve followed for embellishment.

The Charlie Coyle slashing penalty was certainly a decision. And who could forget Jamie Benn skating into a stationary Josh Manson stick way behind the play and selling it. I genuinely couldn’t believe this one.

I don’t believe the Avalanche had enough of a commitment to defense to win this game, regardless of how these calls played out. But, sarcastically, I applaud the Stars for getting the calls they needed.

We’ll see how Game 6 unfolds.