Playing on home ice in Dallas, the Stars delivered a crucial and swift response in their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Wyatt Johnston set a new franchise record for the quickest goal to begin a playoff game.
Johnston opened the scoring just nine seconds into Game 5 and later contributed a second goal and an assist, helping the Stars secure a commanding 6-2 victory on Monday night. This win gives Dallas a 3-2 lead in the series.
“We did probably our best job generating chances tonight and it showed. … Just a huge win,” Johnston commented on the team`s performance.
Coach Pete DeBoer expressed pride in his team`s reaction following a previous loss. “I’m not surprised by our response. We’ve got a proud group,” DeBoer stated, referencing their 4-0 defeat in Game 4 just two nights prior. “The last game, we played a poor game. It happens. In a seven-game series you`re going to have a night where you`re off. And we were off and we owned it and we fixed it, and we responded.”
Mikko Rantanen, who was with the Avalanche in past playoff seasons, made a significant impact for the Stars in this game, recording his first postseason goal and adding two assists as Dallas took the series lead.
Rantanen acknowledged the responsibility of key players: “`We knew as the top guys we needed to step up a little bit and play a little bit better defensively and try to get on the scoresheet a little bit more,` Rantanen said.”
The series now shifts back to Colorado for Game 6 on Thursday night. The Stars hold a favourable history there, having clinched their second-round series in Colorado during the previous season.
The Colorado Avalanche attempted a comeback in the second period with quick goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon, narrowing the Stars` lead to 3-2. However, Johnston responded shortly after with a power-play goal, assisted by Rantanen (secondary assist), to re-extend Dallas`s lead and cement the dominant win.
