Avalanche defeat Stars in second round robin game. Now guaranteed a top 2 seed in the Western Confer
The Avalanche are now guaranteed a top two seed in the NHL Western Conference after defeating the Blues on a buzzer beater goal and after dismantling the Stars. Listening in to the Stars announcers was like listening to a disheveled fan watching from their couch. They almost couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
“The Avalanche are just skating circles around the guys in green.”
“Khudobin has been on his back staring into the heavens asking for help more times than I can count.”
“We’re 8 minutes into the third period and the majority of this game has been played in the Dallas zone.”
The Avalanche didn’t beat the Stars once in the regular season earning a record of 0-2-2 against the team, but this is a whole new situation that the Avalanche have taken full advantage of. The Avalanche had a ton of injury problems all year. Mikko Rantenan missed time, Cale Makar missed time, Gabriel Landeskog missed time, the list keeps going. The only consistent during the regular season was Nathan Mackinnon. Thing is the Hart Trophy finalist Mackinnon still hasn’t tallied a goal.
The Avalanche put four goals past Stars goaltender Khudobin, but three of those four goals came from players GM Joe Sakic acquired in the offseason or at the trade deadline. The Stars announcers put it best, “The rich keep getting richer.”
Avalanche put the puck in the net four times, the Stars couldn’t get past Pavel Francouz once. In his playoff debut Francouz gets his first ever playoff shutout. He becomes the first goaltender to do so in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history. Over two games the Avalanche goaltenders have allowed 1 goal on 59 shots. Grubauer saved 31 of 32 against the Blues and Francouz saved all 27 shots he faced. Looks like whoever the Avalanche turn to in net for the next round of the playoffs they’ll have rock solid goaltending.
Cale Makar on the power play, but make it sloooooooooooow. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/HiHG5B0s7s — x-Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 5, 2020
Easy, breezy, beautiful backhand.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/Y738cA3IUg — x-Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 5, 2020
On the rebound!#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ERJ2ZbKlke — x-Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 6, 2020
That goal, but from the glass ?#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/TGIS4LNe0X — x-Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 6, 2020
I’d post the Dallas Stars goals too, but there were none.