MacKinnon Ignites Avalanche in Dominant Game 1 Win Over Stars
Wow, what a way to kick off the Stanley Cup Playoffs! The Colorado Avalanche came out swinging in Dallas on Saturday night, and they made a serious statement in Game 1 against the Stars. Nathan MacKinnon was the clear star of the show, scoring not once, but twice—including an empty-netter that marked his 50th career playoff goal. This guy took a stick to the face earlier in the game, and still turned in a lights-out performance. That’s playoff grit.
The Avalanche pulled off a commanding 5-1 win on the road, and honestly, it felt like they controlled the pace once they got going in the second period. Both teams were feeling each other out in the first, trading hits and testing each other’s defense. But in the second, Colorado found its groove—and some wild puck luck.
MacKinnon got on the board thanks to a shot that deflected off a Dallas defenseman and somehow knuckled past Jake Oettinger. That came on a power play from the high stick that clipped him earlier—talk about payback. And just a few moments before that? MacKinnon was the one feeding Artturi Lehkonen for a bizarre goal where the puck bounced off Lehkonen’s leg while he was falling. It looked questionable at first, but the officials reviewed it and ruled there was no kicking motion. It counted, and the Avalanche were off to the races.
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And let’s talk about Mackenzie Blackwood for a second. This was his first-ever playoff game, after eight seasons and 252 regular-season appearances across three teams. He came in calm, focused, and made 23 saves—some of them in rapid succession—to completely stonewall the Stars. The guy was dialed in.
Devon Toews added to the cushion late in the third, and then MacKinnon sealed it with that empty-netter before the Stars managed a late one of their own. But it was way too little, way too late. Dallas has now lost seven straight Game 1s in the playoffs under Pete DeBoer, and they’ll be hoping that trend reverses fast.
One interesting twist—former Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen was playing against his old team after being traded twice this season. He had a quiet night, just three shots in 18 minutes. You know that had to be a weird moment for Avs fans.
Game 2 is coming up Monday night, still in Dallas. The Stars have shown they can bounce back, but this Colorado team looks locked in. They’re physical, they’re fast, and they’re finding chemistry at the perfect time. If MacKinnon keeps playing like this and Blackwood keeps that wall up in net, it’s going to be a tough road for Dallas.
Let’s see how it all unfolds—this series is just getting started.
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