Colorado defeated Dallas 2-0 Saturday afternoon in a tight game that remained scoreless for fifty minutes and felt a lot like a playoff game.
This was the fourth and final meeting for the two teams this year, with each squad grabbing two wins. As the regular season comes to a close, Dallas looks to polish up five-on-five play and perfect a recently struggling power play that will become critical in the playoffs.
Both squads came out swinging and logged two shots on goal each in the first two minutes. The play was tight, fast and physical. Both Casey DeSmith and Scott Wedgewood were on top of their game and made save after save to keep both their teams in the mix.
This was DeSmith’s first game against Colorado this year, and the goalie was happy with his performance.
“I think the team is playing a little bit better than we were last year. I think last year we were starting to slip, especially defensively, down the stretch,” DeSmith said. “The way the team’s playing helps me a lot too. Pleased to be playing as well as I am right now and to be feeling this way.”
The first power play of the game went to the Avalanche when Jamie Benn got called for tripping up Valeri Nichushkin, but the Stars killed the penalty and Oskar Back almost got a shorthanded chance against Wedgewood.
Lian Bichsel continued the physical play against Nichushkin and laid a couple of big hits on the forward as the game progressed.
The scoreless first period blended into a scoreless second, with Colorado controlling play a little more than Dallas. The Stars headed to a power play of their own after Brett Kulak tripped Colin Blackwell, yet could not find rhythm and spent most of the two-minute advantage collecting pucks cleared by Colorado.
On one of the few shot attempts in the power play, Maverick Bourque jabbed Wedgewood while trying to push a puck out from under him and Colorado’s Jack Drury went after him. The pair, who each got two minutes for roughing, got into it and Benn came to Bourque’s rescue as he was pushed into the boards by Drury.
Benn later exchanged some tense words with Nathan MacKinnon, with a few shoves sprinkled in.
“Just saying ‘Hi,’” Benn said postgame without a smile, when asked about the interaction.
As the third period unfolded, the two teams stayed on top of each other. During another Dallas power play after Brock Nelson roughed Jason Robertson, the Stars could not score.
Instead, Arturi Lehkonen sent the puck flying towards Martin Necas, who bumped it behind DeSmith and put up the first goal of the afternoon with about half of the period remaining.
The Stars’ desperation grew as the seconds shrank, and even with an extra attacker on the ice, they could not connect with the net and ended up losing 2-0 after MacKinnon tacked on an empty net goal.
The Stars will look to regroup as they take on the Calgary Flames at home Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT.