Generally the bounces go your approach. Different instances, they hit the shifting foot of a falling Avalanche ahead and soar over your proper shoulder and into the web.
In a matchup that includes so many gamers on each side able to deking and dazzling their approach onto the spotlight reels, in fact the primary purpose of the primary recreation of the first-round sequence between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche Saturday night time must be scored on a flukey, funky, kick-that-wasn’t-a-kick that had everybody learning the slo-mo replay time and again.
Hockey has a way of humour generally. And on Saturday night time, the Avalanche acquired the primary and final giggle in a 5-1 highway victory. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and had a helper to guide the group, although this lopsided win wasn’t truly as huge a blowout because the rating suggests. The tight-checking, hard-hitting first body introduced a frenetic tempo and no objectives, and the second featured extra of the identical till the Avalanche pounced on slightly puck luck to take a 2-0 lead.
Let’s begin there as we recap our prime takeaways from Game 1.
Oettinger on shedding finish of puck-luck battle
Due to Colorado ahead Artturi Lehkonen’s series-opening purpose in the second interval, all of us simply acquired a crash course in what does and doesn’t represent a “distinct kicking movement.” As Lehkonen was close to the web to comply with up a rebound, he went tumbling backwards as he acquired snarled with Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque. On the similar time, the puck bounced in direction of his left foot, which was in mid-air and going up as Lehkonen went crashing down, and careened off his skate.
Sure, his foot was shifting when the puck hit it. Sure, the pressure of that motion despatched the puck completely previous Oettinger. No, it wasn’t a purposeful movement (regardless of a slight resemblance to a Premier League bicycle kick). So, sure, it was a purpose.
And sadly for Oettinger, it wasn’t the one unfortunate bounce for the Stars netminder. Later in the second interval, with Colorado on the ability play after Roope Hintz was hit with a double minor for a high-stick in opposition to Nathan MacKinnon that drew blood, MacKinnon fired a snapshot via visitors that deflected off Dallas’ Ilya Lyubushkin. With Lyubushkin by accident altering the puck’s energy and trajectory, it fluttered beneath Oettinger’s glove, virtually like a change-up puck, and went in. That purpose technically counted because the game-winner. Though the Stars tried a comeback in the third interval to make it 2-1, courtesy of a Hintz power-play purpose of his personal, the Avalanche ran away with the sport late in the third with three objectives (together with one empty-netter) to place it out of attain.
Contemplating Colorado’s latest playoff success, headlined by hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2022, there’s numerous post-season expertise up and down this Avalanche roster. That doesn’t lengthen to the crease, although. By way of his first six NHL seasons — 5 in New Jersey, adopted by a 12 months and a half in San Jose — goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood by no means appeared in the post-season. When the Avalanche acquired him through a December goalie swap that noticed Alexandar Georgiev despatched to the Sharks as a part of the return, there have been a couple of query marks about whether or not Blackwood could be as much as the duty of backstopping a membership with such excessive expectations.
If his Game 1 efficiency is any indication, he’ll be simply wonderful.
Towards the Stars on Saturday night time, Blackwood was the image of playoff poise. The 28-year-old let only a single puck previous him on 24 photographs, his Game 1 shutout bid lasting till 6:45 into the third body. After thwarting Dallas via two intervals, Blackwood was foiled by a Roope Hintz shot from the purpose late in the Stars’ energy play. It was an unfortunate sequence for Blackwood, who misplaced his stick seconds earlier when it acquired caught in the netting. He didn’t stand a lot of an opportunity after that.
Unhealthy bounces are sure to occur — simply ask Blackwood’s counterpart on the reverse finish of the rink. However the best way Blackwood was in a position to lock down the blue paint, together with monitoring rebounds the Stars had been fast to pounce on, was actually spectacular.
“When you might have a man like that again there, that provides you that confidence,” Avalanche defenceman Cale Maker informed reporters post-game, praising his internet minder’s “calm” presence. “He positively confirmed up tonight.”
Stars with out Heiskanen and Robertson, and it reveals
As Dallas and Colorado collided for Game 1, one of many greatest tales was surrounding the gamers not on the ice. Whereas the Avalanche enter the post-season in good well being, the Stars haven’t been so fortunate.
Prime defenceman Miro Heiskanen hasn’t performed since late January, and whereas there’s hope we might see him quickly — his standing is now day-to-day as he’s been skating — it’s nonetheless unclear when he’ll be capable of play. Dallas performed a well-structured defensive recreation, sturdy on the puck and bodily, however clearly missed their star puck-moving rearguard.
The absence of prime ahead Jason Robertson felt equally apparent, however much more ominous contemplating the group’s main scorer is listed as week-to-week after struggling a lower-body harm in a meaningless Game 82.
Dallas managed only a single purpose Saturday night time, unable to maintain tempo in what devolved right into a lopsided scoring race with out their No. 1 man.
In the meantime, for Colorado, the most important lineup query is about whether or not we might see captain Gabriel Landeskog inserted into this sequence. The truth that he’s an choice is superb, and the most effective tales this spring.
The final time we noticed Landeskog on NHL ice, he was hoisting the Stanley Cup after serving to lead the Avalanche to the highest of the hockey world. A number of knee surgical procedures, adopted by two years of rehabilitation, got here after that. He was given a brief AHL stint earlier this month to assist ramp him up, however we’ve got but to know if we’ll see him in the Avalanche’s lineup someday quickly.
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