Avalanche Fall to Stars 5-3; Series Returns to Denver, 1-1

The response from Dallas after an embarrassing overtime loss in Game 1 came fast and furious Thursday night. Dallas established a physical presence and played their game in an ugly win for the home team, sending the series back to Colorado tied.

The first period saw a slow, defensive pace aided by absolutely dreadful ice-conditions following the Luis Miguel concert Wednesday night. Pucks were slow-moving, with both teams were tripping more than skating. A too many men penalty called on the Avalanche away from the action would tilt the scales. The lone goal in the first came on the Stars power play.

The second period saw an early Dallas goal on a broken defensive zone play, but it was responded to with an Avalanche push. Everything changed on a fateful no-call. Stars enforcer Jaime Benn elevated from his skates to check through Devon Toews‘ head in what the entire hockey world expected to be a major penalty and disqualification. It was reviewed for the major, and the officials surprisingly decided no penalty. The game was over after this pivotal call, as the Avalanche completely collapsed and ended the period down 4-0.

The Avalanche still nearly found the magic to come back, scoring three in the final frame before a Stars empty-net goal ended things, 5-3.

Here is the takeaway from Thursday night’s game in Dallas.

The Third Team on The Ice

Generally, it’s good form to avoid focus on the officiating in game recaps, but you simply cannot tell the story of Game 2 without focusing on the officiating. Most of the major swings in momentum were proactively head-scratching choices by Frederick L’Ecuyer and Francis Charron. The Stars were not able to create any quality scoring chances until a bizarre bench minor. It opened the scoring on a power play you usually wouldn’t see awarded. Was it a penalty? By letter of the rule, yes. There were six Avalanche skaters on the ice with a miscommunicated change. Play wasn’t impacted as the two skaters were more than a full third of the ice behind the play, and there were no less than four full minutes of this game where both teams briefly had overlapping seconds of six men.

Then there is the decision made by NHL officiating that determined the outcome of the game. This game was ultimately determined by one goal (discounting the empty-net goal), and a horrendous no-call determined the entire momentum of the second period. Jaime Benn jumped to connect with Devon Toews head intending to injure The Avalanche defender.