Following a couple of days off, the Colorado Avalanche return to action looking to even the series against the Dallas Stars on Sunday. After coming away with a thrilling 6–4 victory over the Stars in Game Three, the Avalanche will seek to ride their momentum to level the series at two games apiece.
After leaving Game Three in the second period, Colorado defensemen Nikita Zadorov will be in the lineup Sunday against the Stars. Zadorov recording the first multi-point game of his playoff career in Game Three after recording a goal and an assist.
Nathan MacKinnon is also on an 11-game point streak, the longest in franchise history during the postseason. MacKinnon tallied two assists in the Avs’ 6–4 comeback victory in Game Three. The previous record of 10 games was set by Avs legend and now general manager Joe Sakic in 1996 and in 1982 by Quebec Nordiques icon Marian Stastny.
With both teams having an abrupt break in the action, I think we can expect both teams to use most of the first period to size each other up and eventually get back to the hard-hitting, fast-paced style of pace that we observed in Game Three.
Players to watch
Cale Makar
Coming off of a three-point performance in Game Three, Makar is tied with fellow Calder Trophy candidate Quinn Hughes with 11 points in the postseason. Stars defensemen Miro Heiskanen leads all defenseman in points these playoffs with 15 points (Three goals, 12 assists). Makar continues to have a good playoff showing with a plus-11 plus-minus rating. Carrying momentum from a three-point game, expect Makar to continue to be a difference-maker in Game Four.
We are so glad to have this rookie on our side.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/eiZ6rK1N8l
— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 30, 2020
Jamie Benn
I am putting Benn down as the main Dallas player to watch for not only his scoring ability but due to how Game Three ended and his overall antics in the last game. From taking a run at MacKinnon to cross-checking Gabriel Landeskog at the end of Game Three, you can just feel that Benn will be trying to leave some type of impact this afternoon.
A Colorado victory on Sunday would tie the series at two games per team, while a loss would mean the Avalanche will be on the brink of elimination in Game Five trailing 3–1.