DENVER — It was far from flawless, but the Colorado Avalanche dispatched the Dallas Stars 4–1 on Saturday night at Ball Arena, preserving undefeated preseason record.
How It Transpired
Gavin Brindley broke the deadlock midway through the second period, striking at 10:30 after slipping undetected into the slot. Ivan Ivan delivered a deft backhand feed, and Brindley wasted no time in burying it past the goaltender. The sequence left Dallas defenseman Kyle Capobianco completely flat-footed; as the puck
hit the net, Capobianco froze with his stick raised, glancing around in bewilderment as if to ask, “What just happened?”
From that point forward, the game settled into more of a defensive struggle, with Colorado’s blue line rising to the occasion. The Avalanche defensemen, disciplined in their positioning and crisp in their clears, managed to smother a Dallas attack that is ordinarily among the league’s more dynamic. At one stage in the second period, the Stars were limited to just three shots on goal—a statistic that underscored the effectiveness of Colorado’s structure. Yet in the waning seconds of the frame, Dallas finally broke through. Antonio Stranges found space in the left circle and rifled a wrist shot past Scott Wedgewood on a rebound created by Nathan MacKinnon’s left-circle wrist shot.
As has been noted throughout the offseason, one of Zakhar Bardakov’s defining qualities is his ability to remain a step ahead of the play. He enters the defensive zone with the quiet precision of a stealth aircraft—poised to emerge suddenly, strike with efficiency, and then transition seamlessly to the next assignment. That instinct was on full display at 7:28 of the third period, when he slipped into position and converted Artturi Lehkonen’s feed with a slick backhand, doubling Colorado’s lead.
Tristen Nielsen, who had quietly flown under the radar for much of training camp partly due to being a AHL contracted player, sealed the deal with an empty-net tally at 1:37 of regulation, extinguishing any faint hope of a Dallas rally.
Takeaways
A win is a win, though the performance left no shortage of areas for refinement. Colorado’s penalty kill proved flawless, neutralizing both Dallas opportunities. Yet the power play, a major source of criticism during the playoffs last year, remains a concern. The Avalanche squandered all seven chances with the man advantage, including an extended four-minute double minor assessed to Lian Bichsel after he held Jack Ahcan and compounded the infraction by attempting to rip off his helmet.
It’s the first preseason game, so there’s nothing to worry about right now. Dave Hakstol was hired as the new assistant coach for the Avalanche in the offseason and his system may take some tied to get accustomed to. Plus the fact that the only Avalanche regulars in this lineup were Ross Colton, Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen and Brent Burns. Trust the process, everyone.
What’s Next?
The Colorado Avalanche open a home and away set with the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, with puck drop slated for 6 p.m. MT on TNT. It will be the club’s fourth preseason contest, marking the start of televised broadcasts. Both rosters are expected to feature a number of stars, giving fans their first taste of what the regular season should offer.
