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Avs have 'nervous energy,' are a 'little grumpy' heading into G6

September 2, 2020, 3:36 PM ET [6 Comments]
Rick Sadowski
Colorado Avalanche Blogger •Avalanche Insider • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It’s another elimination game for the Avalanche on Wednesday, as the Avalanche trail the Dallas Stars 3-2 in the best-of-7 Stanley Cup playoff series. Win Game 6 and play a decisive Game 7 on Friday; lose and head home from the Edmonton bubble.

GAME NOTES

“We’re still sitting in a place where we’re down in the series, it’s a must-win game, there’s some nervous energy and guys aren’t happy with where we’re at, so I still consider us a little grumpy,” coach Jared Bednar said after the morning skate, referring to what he said the team’s mindset was before Game 5, which turned out to be a 6-3 win.

“I expect that to continue through the series.”

********************

WESTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Best-of-7, Rogers Place, Edmonton

All times Mountain Time
Dallas leads 3-2

Game 1 -- Dallas 5, Avalanche 3
Game 2 -- Dallas 5, Avalanche 2
Game 3 -- Avalanche 6, Dallas 4
Game 4 -- Dallas 5, Avalanche 4
Game 5 -- Avalanche 6, Dallas 3
Tonight, 6 p.m. NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA
*Friday, TBD
*If necessary

********************


The Avalanche outshot the Stars 23-5 in the first period on Monday and grabbed a 5-0 lead.

“We talked a little about not giving Dallas too much respect and playing with a little swagger, getting our swagger back from what we’ve had for the bulk of the year,” Bednar said. “We saw it a little after the first period; we saw a little bit more confidence in our group and a little more execution in our game, a pace to our game, being tough to play against.

“It’s a real good period for us to look back on and say, ‘Ok.’ It wasn’t a surprise to me that we had success in the first period when you look at some of the attention to detail and commitment. The way we checked and played; it was fast, it was executed well, and it can be tough to handle, so we got to try and continue that through as much in this game as we possibly can.”

Third-string goalie Michael Hutchinson, in the first playoff start of his NHL career, made 31 saves, 17 in the third period with Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz ruled “unfit to play.”

Bednar said that forward Matt Calvert, who has yet to play in this series, was on the ice Wednesday morning, but he wouldn’t say if he would play. Nor would he disclose anything about the lineup, including who will start in goal.

“At this point in the year it doesn’t benefit us,” he said.

Nathan MacKinnon has a 13-game point streak. If he gets a point in Game 6, he will tie Mark Messier (Edmonton in 1988) and Bobby Orr (Boston in 1970) for the second-longest postseason-opening streak in NHL history. He leads all playoff scorers with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists).






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