After taking a week off to recover from the Winnipeg series, the Colorado Avalanche are back at it against the Dallas Stars. It would take some time for the Avalanche to get their legs back, but not the Stars. Dallas last played on Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights. So, understandably, there was going to be an adjustment period for Colorado to get to full speed once more. Alexandar Georgiev had fans worried once again at the beginning of the game, but his focus returned. He became key to the Avalanche victory late in the game as Miles Wood saved the day. Here are my takeaways from the 4–3 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars.
With his 19th postseason goal, Cale makes franchise history.#GoAvsGo | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/GXRgqvcztd
— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) May 8, 2024
Takeaways
— It took the whole first period for the entire team to get back to game pace. During the first period, the Avalanche were keeping up, mostly; they just lacked that extra step. They were failing to do a lot of the things that have given them success to this point. That is part of the reason Dallas got the three goal lead. Colorado was having at some points even getting out of their own zone, allowing Dallas extended looks on Georgiev and wearing him out early.
MacKinnon and Rantanen get caught behind the net, and the puck gets taken away for the Stars' first tally #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/9oQdRCJxEl
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 8, 2024
— The Avalanche needed to shut down the neutral zone and do it quickly. The whole first period, the Stars had no issue with puck movement through the neutral zone. Once the Avalanche shut that down in the second, Dallas only got three shots on goal in the middle frame and four in the third frame. It had to become a total team effort, forwards were back checking and defensemen were forechecking. This would pinch the play to a point of a turnover and Avalanche control of the puck.
— Georgiev, despite a rocky start to the game, saved the day in overtime. He had to come through with six key saves to keep the Avalanche in the game, including a massive cross-crease save to steal the game. His .667 save percentage in the first period would improve to .864. It is something that still needs improvement, but he shined at the right times in the overtime win.
What a save! #Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/2gjaaLkevT
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 8, 2024
— Miles Wood tallied his third goal of this playoff campaign. It was also his first career overtime goal in either the regular season or playoffs. Wood has become a key piece to the depth of the Avalanche with his speed through the neutral zone, very similar to Logan O’Connor. Wood’s ability to put pressure on a man with the puck has become his bread and butter.
MILES WOOD WINS IT IN OT AND THE AVS TAKE A 1-0 LEAD IN THE SERIES!!!!#Avs #GoAvsGo @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/IDReLrvPWe
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 8, 2024
Miles Wood isn't the only person in his family to score an overtime goal in the #StanleyCup Playoffs. His father, Randy, achieved the feat in Game 6 of the 1995 Conference Quarterfinals with Toronto.#NHLStats: https://t.co/ySXOlNynHI pic.twitter.com/uICAqS8EXO
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 8, 2024
Conclusion
If the Avalanche can come out with all cylinders firing on Thursday night, it should be more of an evenly matched game. The Stars will have a little more trouble getting to the net and the Avalanche can push the play a little harder earlier in the game. Georgiev has shaken off some of the rust and hopefully got that one terrible game out of the way. History has told the Avalanche the key to the series with Dallas is not to let it get past five games.