{"id":539701,"date":"2026-04-04T03:54:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T03:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/539701\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T03:54:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T03:54:18","slug":"nhl-leaders-conclude-season-series-as-avalanche-battle-stars-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/539701\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL leaders conclude season series as Avalanche battle Stars – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Colorado Avalanche were treated to a dose of reality this week in advance of their fourth and final meeting with the Central Division rival Dallas Stars on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar can only hope his team will heed the wake-up call as it goes on the road to face the Stars.<\/p>\n

Colorado left a lot to be desired in an 8-6 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. The Canucks have the worst record in the NHL, but they pounded Colorado (49-15-10, 108 points), which has lost two of its last three games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if we\u2019re making excuses for that performance, it\u2019s gonna be a short (playoff) run,\u201d Bednar said, according to The Hockey News.<\/p>\n

Sam Malinski had two goals and an assist for the Avalanche, while Brent Burns added a goal and an assist. Devon Toews had two assists as the three Avalanche defensemen combined for seven points.<\/p>\n

Missing defenseman Cale Makar didn\u2019t help. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood was pulled with 4:39 remaining in the second period after allowing six goals on 19 shots.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s one of 20. That\u2019s all I can say,\u201d Bednar said of Blackwood. \u201cOne of 20 guys that wasn\u2019t good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nathan MacKinnon became the NHL\u2019s first 50-goal scorer this season.<\/p>\n

Central-leading Colorado still has won five of its past seven games and is six points ahead of second-place Dallas with less than two weeks to play.<\/p>\n

Burns is set to become just the second NHL player to take the ice in 1,000 consecutive games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s impressive to play that many games, let alone that many games in a row,\u201d Makar said, according to NHL.com. \u201cIt\u2019s just ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Stars (45-19-12, 102 points), second to Colorado not only in the division but in the league-wide standings, have taken the Avalanche to a shootout in each of the teams\u2019 previous three games this season. The Stars came out on top in the shootout twice.<\/p>\n

Dallas was in a 2-5-2 rut before goalie Jake Oettinger and company blanked the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Oettinger made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season, but first in nearly four months.<\/p>\n

Adam Erne and Arttu Hyry each had a goal and an assist for Dallas, which ended a three-game home losing streak.<\/p>\n

\u201cLately, I\u2019ve been trying to work on just staying in it the whole game,\u201d Oettinger said. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy to doze off, and next thing you know, it\u2019s in the back of your net.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oettinger now faces the Avalanche, who have won four straight on the road and 10 of their last 11 away from home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go to the playoffs, you can\u2019t just flip a switch and get going,\u201d Erne said. \u201cIt\u2019s something you have to build toward. I think we want to finish these last seven games or so and put ourselves in a spot here where we\u2019re happy with our game come Game 1 of the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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