The Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Game 3 of the NHL Playoffs' second round, giving the Stars a 2-1 series lead.
Dallas gained the lead in the first period and held onto it. They never fell behind and kept their lead to secure the series advantage.
The Stars struggled for most of the first period, but a goal by right wing Logan Stankoven with just 1:21 left gave them a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission.
During the second period, the teams played evenly, and Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen tied the score 1-1 with 9:36 remaining.
However, the tied score was short-lived. Less than five minutes later, Stars right wing Tyler Seguin scored, putting Dallas at 2-1 at the start of the final period.
The last period belonged to the Stars, with Seguin and Stankoven each scoring their second goal on an empty net, securing the 4-1 victory as they head into Game 4.
Stars coach Peter DeBoer acknowledged the Avalanche's strong start but praised his team's composure throughout the game, according to ESPN. said “We knew they going to come out guns blazing in the first period. You knew their home record. They had challenged their best players, their coach had, after the last game,” DeBoer stated after the game.
He added, “So, we knew we were going to get a lot thrown at us early in that game. And our composure throughout the night I thought was outstanding.”
Another focus for the team appeared to be reducing the number of turnovers. The Stars had just five, while the Avalanche had 12 during the game. giveawaysThis defensive strategy allowed the Stars to play at their preferred pace, helping many of the players find their rhythm and perform at their best.
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger played a crucial role in the Game 3 win, making 28 saves and stopping 96.6% of shots on goal.
Following the game, Oettinger expressed pride in the team for taking control and stated, “We had one of the best third periods we’ve played the whole postseason.” commanding “Just being smart and not taking penalties. I don’t think they had many scoring chances in the third so we learned from our mistakes in Games 1 and 2,” he added, per ESPN.
Dallas will now prepare for Game 4 on Monday at 8:30 p.m., aiming to expand their series lead before returning to the American Airlines Center for Game 5.
The Dallas Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Game 3 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs, giving the Stars a 2-1 lead in the series. Dallas took the lead in the first period and never looked back. The team never once trailed in the game and maintained its lead throughout to secure […]
Dallas will now prepare for Game 4 on Monday at 8:30 p.m., where the Stars will look to extend their series lead before traveling back to the American Airlines Center for Game 5.
