The Colorado Avalanche rallied back from a three-goal deficit in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 in overtime — only the second time the club has achieved a triple-goal postseason comeback win since moving to Denver.
Miles Wood scored the game-winner on a breakaway to give the Avs a 1-0 lead in the second round series. It was the 28-year-old forward’s first ever overtime winner.
“Cogs (Andrew Cogliano) just made a great play there. Just kind of chipped it through the neutral zone there and just kind of skated on it and you know, just so happy that the puck crossed the goal line,” Wood said after the game. “The best part was celebrating with the teammates. They were so happy out there. That’s what it’s all about.”
Stars defenseman Ryan Suter opened up scoring at 12:34 of the first period. Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn added to the scoresheet to put the Avalanche down a trio of goals after the opening frame.
“Definitely stayed positive the whole game. Would have been easy to kind of fold after that first period but we felt like we were playing better than what the score showed. We wanted to see it through and definitely happy to get that comeback.
“I think staying even keel is the biggest thing. Guys were upbeat, positive after the first. We didn’t know if we could come back or not but we wanted to at least try and you never know what can happen in playoff hockey. Sometimes it’s hard to hold leads, you know we’ve been there too, but got to move on and get ready for Game 2 now,” Nathan MacKinnon said.
Special teams got the Avalanche back into the game with power-play goals from Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar in the second period.
Nichushkin now holds the longest goal streak to begin the playoffs in Avalanche history and tied former Ottawa Senators forward Martin Havlat (2006) for the longest in NHL postseason history, according to the organization. Pat LaFontaine holds the league record with goals in the first seven games of the 1992 postseason.
Makar’s goal was the 19th of his postseason career which put him past Sandis Ozolinsh (18) for the most by a defenseman in franchise playoff history. The 25-year-old blueliner holds the all-time franchise record in both regular season and playoff goals, assists and points.
Colorado’s elite three tied the game with a MacKinnon goal from Mikko Rantanen and Makar.
Alexandar Georgiev made 19 saves but the few big ones he made in the extra frame is what gave the Avalanche a chance to win.
“We had some experience winning big comebacks and you try to play (a) full 60. Try not to think about the past and keep to the game plan — play a full 60, see what happens,” Georgiev said. “The guys scored big goals at the right time so overall, found a way to win and that’s huge for us.”
The Avalanche face off against the Stars for Game 2 at American Airlines Center on Thursday with a puck drop scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.
