Neck and Neck

Wednesday, March 18, 2026. That date was special to me for two reasons. One, it was my 41st birthday. Two, the Colorado Avalanche were playing, and not just against anyone. We hosted the Dallas Stars. The two teams who were ranked one-two in not only the Central Division, but the entire National Hockey League, faced off in Denver's Ball Arena. The division had been too close for comfort lately, thanks to the Stars going fifteen games without losing in regulation, though that did end on Monday against Utah.

Regarding this matchup, it was on TNT, and Scott Wedgewood was in net against Jake Oettinger. Dallas had an early power play but we did knock it off. Not much shooting in that period, which is very strange for a Stars/Avs game. Avs went on the power play later on, and I remembered that the last time we played Dallas, we scored two PPGs in a period. Yeah, we did that. So I was confident that the PP would strike, and it did. Who else but Cale Makar, the best defenseman in the entire league? 1-0 Avs lead, and that was the score after 20 minutes.

Second period saw us really spray Oettinger with shots, but he was stopping them, because of course he was. A crazy breakaway saw a Stars shot hit the post, rebound big time, and get to Jason Robertson, who shoots it into an open net. Tie game. This was followed by a wild scuffle between Mavrik Bourque and Martin Necas that saw no penalties called. The matching minors came at the near end of the period. Makar was called for interference on Bunting, who ended up in the box for embellishment (he couldn't believe it).

Game was 1-1 after 40 minutes, and the third period was very close. Avs had a power play late, but we couldn't take the lead on it. All that was left for us to do was hold on for OT, and we did just that. We would again need the fourth period, and that saw the Stars really control the puck. We had our chances, but they were either stopped or blocked. OT ended, and it would go to a shootout. So every meeting this season would need the shootout. Nothing in the two rounds, but Round 3 saw Wyatt Johnston put it in. Nathan MacKinnon was up after Valeri Nichushkin and Martin Necas fell short, but Mack's shot was wide.

The Avs fell to Dallas, 2-1, via shootout, and as a result, our lead in the division is down to two points--Avalanche 98, Stars 96. Oh boy. All three meetings needed overtime and eventually a shootout, wow. This is a dangerously close season series. I wasn't too disappointed by this. My reaction can be summed up with two simple words: April 4. April 4 is when the Avalanche and Stars will meet up for the fourth and final time during this regular season, and it'll be in Dallas on ABC. Hopefully, the Avs will have a larger lead by then, and I'm confident that we will at least get Artturi Lehkonen back by then.

But that's April 4. Regarding our next game, the Avs will go on a four game road trip that will start on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. So we'll get to whip Connor Bedard's ass once again. Very, very awesome!

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