The Avalanche need to not take the Stars bait in Game 6 and beyond

The Avs went into Game 5 on Monday night trailing the Stars 3-1 in the series. To make matters worse, Colorado was starting third-string goaltender Michael Hutchinson, who was making first playoff start in a must-win game for the Avalanche.

The Avs started the game with one of the most-dominant periods of playoff hockey in franchise history. They outshot the Stars 23 to five, and outscored them five to nothing, including a four-goal outburst in two minutes and 36 seconds that got Stars starter Ben Bishop pulled from the game before 15 minutes had passed in the first period. The Avalanche were red hot and rolling.

And that’s when the Stars started to get under their skin.

For the remainder of the game, every time there was a goalie stoppage, especially one made by Hutchinson, pushing and shoving ensued between the two squads. The Stars ended up with 45 hits on the night, which doesn’t include any pushing and shoving done by either team after the whistle.

At the 12:31 mark of the second period, Stars forward Corey Perry was called for roughing, resulting in an Avs power play. This would continue for one minute until it looked like the Avs could get a two-man advantage after Joe Pavelski slashed Nazem Kadri. But it would be mere moments later that Kadri would slash Pavelski in retaliation, not only costing the Avs a two-man advantage, but costing them the power play, as well, as Kadri would also be called for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

The penalty would be served by forward Vladislav Namestnikov as the teams skated 4-on-4 for a minute before the Stars would get a power play. They did not score on the man-advantage, but momentum started creeping back their way, and the Stars knew they could goad the Avs into more bad penalties. Which would happen later in the period.

With a little under three minutes left in the second period, the Avalanche led 5-1. A relatively routine stoppage was made by Hutchinson after which a scrum starts up. Blake Comeau, in an impressive display of goonsmanship that would make the Hanson Brothers jealous, delivered a shove to Sam Girard, which prompted Girard to grab Comeau’s visor. Girard got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and Comeau got off penalty free. Power play for the Stars.

It would take 29 seconds for Miro Heiskinen to snipe the puck into the back of the net and pull the Stars within three. Another chance given was away on a bad penalty, this one costing the Avs on the score sheet.

The Avalanche need to be careful in Game 6 as they look to keep their season alive and force a decisive Game 7 against the Stars. The Stars have been getting under the Avs skin all series long and if the Avs are not careful, they could be facing an early playoff exit if they can’t keep their emotions and discipline in check.