Avalanche-Stars Game 6 preview: Colorado enters desperation mode with backs against the wall

The Colorado Avalanche are in do-or-die mode at home on Thursday as they face a 3-2 deficit in the Western Conference First Round series against the Dallas Stars. After Colorado dominated the majority of the first four games, the Avalanche were blitzed right out of the gate in Game 5, allowing a goal just nine seconds into the game when Mackenzie Blackwood, and everyone else in an Avalanche sweater, lost track of the puck. After another puck-luck goal in the first period where the puck bounced straight up in the air, hit Blackwood on his nameplate and dribbled into the goal, the Avs were clawing back all night and couldn’t overcome the hump.

The officiating in Game 5 raised some eyebrows, as the Avalanche were called for two questionable penalties that the Stars embellished somewhat to get the call from the officials. However, the Stars only had one more power play than the Avalanche, and were able to capitalize on one of them, while Colorado went scoreless on the man advantage once again.

Colorado needs a sense of urgency that they didn’t have in Game 5 if the team wants to avoid going home early for the second time in three years. While the first and fourth lines did what they could to attempt a comeback in the second period of the last game, the other two lines didn’t have any juice. In the net, Mackenzie Blackwood will need a big bounce-back game after being pulled before the third period of Game 5.

How to watch Game 6 of Avalanche-Stars

Game 6 will be broadcast on TBS and Altitude TV with puck drop scheduled for 7:50 p.m. Denver time. It will also be streamed on Altitude+ and MAX.

Odds for Game 6 of Avalanche-Stars

Moneylines: Avalanche -192, Stars +158

Puck lines: Avalanche -1.5 (+136), Stars +1.5 (-168)

Total: 6.5

Once against, Colorado is favored for the sixth consecutive game, despite being down in the series. The over has hit in three of the five games so far, and flew way over in Game 5 thanks to a stellar offensive performance from Dallas along with some puck luck.

Projected lines for Game 6 of Avalanche-Stars

Avalanche
Lehkonen – MacKinnon – Necas
Landeskog – Nelson – Nichushkin
Kiviranta – Coyle – Drouin
Kelly – Drury – O’Connor

Makar – Towes
Girard – Manson
Lindgren – Malinski

Blackwood
Wedgewood

Stars
Granlund – Hintz – Rantanen
Marchment – Duchene – Seguin
Benn – Johnston – Dadonov
Back – Steel – Blackwell

Lindell – Ceci
Harley – Lyubushkin
Bichsel – Petrovic

Oettinger
DeSmith

*Lines reported from practice ahead of Game 6. Subject to change when teams take the ice for warmups*

Injury notes/report for Game 6 of Avalanche-Stars

Avalanche
Jared Bednar gave an update on Ross Colton the other day, saying that it’s unlikely the winger returns in this series after suffering an injury in Game 1.

Stars
Miro Heiskanen continues to make good progress for Dallas, and could potentially make a return soon. He has not received an official update from head coach Pete DeBoer.  On the other hand, Jason Robertson is making progress, and is now listed as day-to-day. Nils Lundkvist is also out

What to watch for in Game 6 of Avalanche-Stars

Mackenzie Blackwood’s confidence level. After being the best goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for four games, Blackwood was beat up on in Game 5 and saved under 75% of the shots he faced before he was pulled in favor of Scott Wedgwood for the third period. While two of the goals he let in were somewhat lucky breaks for Dallas, the rest of the shots he let in were ones that he was saving earlier in the series.

Even the greatest goalies in the league have bad playoff performances. Look at Connor Hellebuyck, who is the runaway favorite for the Vezina Trophy and could possibly win the Hart as well. He let up 11 goals in two games, and was pulled late from both games, as the Blues tied the series with the Jets at two games all. In Game 5 on Wednesday, Hellebuyck responded with a stronger game that helped his team take a 3-2 series lead.

Blackwood will need more help from his defense, as they hung him out to dry in Game 5, but his mental response will be the deciding factor in whether or not Colorado goes home. He got paid the big bucks in December, and Thursday night is the best chance for him to prove why he’s worth that contract.

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