Colorado Avalanche beat Dallas Stars 3–2 with two goals from Martin Necas

Both teams begin with absences

The opener of a home-and-home began with both teams missing players. Colorado was without Cale Makar, awaiting his twins’ arrival, and Zachary L’Heureux, a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Dallas center Wyatt Johnston was also a late scratch because of illness.

Seguin answers on the power play

Lehkonen opened the scoring at 11:32 of the first period. After a point shot encountered traffic, he sent a backhand through Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger.

Fedor Svechkov fought Radek Faksa after a hit on Noah Juulsen, and Svechkov’s instigator penalty gave Dallas a power play. Tyler Seguin equalized when his centering attempt deflected into the net off an Avalanche skate.

Necas builds a two-goal lead

Necas put Colorado back ahead at 3:05 of the second period with a one-timer from Nathan MacKinnon’s feed.

MacKinnon also fought Roope Hintz during the second period. He suffered a cut in the fight but later returned to the game.

Necas scored again at 16:14 on a five-on-three. Landeskog collected a rebound and supplied the backhand pass for the goal that extended Colorado’s lead to 3–1.

Mackenzie Blackwood kept that two-goal margin intact before the second intermission. Sam Malinski’s turnover gave Sam Steel a close-range chance, but the Colorado goalie stopped it.

Hintz scores, but Dallas cannot equalize

Hintz cut the deficit to one at 3:17 of the third period, assisted by Seguin and Miro Heiskanen.

At 13:44 of the third, Juulsen blocked Jamie Benn’s high-slot one-timer.

Dallas removed Oettinger for an extra attacker late in the third but could not find an equalizer, leaving Colorado the winner in regulation. Blackwood finished with 24 saves, while Oettinger stopped 22 shots. Heiskanen finished with two assists for Dallas.