Colin Blackwell’s OT goal helps Stars even series with Avalanche

Colin Blackwell scored 17:46 into the first overtime period to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 OT win over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Monday in Game 2 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Wednesday in Denver.
A healthy scratch in Game 1, Blackwell was inserted into the lineup and delivered the first playoff overtime winner (and just his second playoff goal) of his seven-year NHL career. Blackwell’s initial shot was blocked by teammate Sam Steel, but Blackwell then deposited his own rebound for the goal.
Steel had two assists for the forward’s third career multi-point playoff game.
Evgenii Dadonov, Thomas Harley, and Tyler Seguin scored for the Stars in regulation. Jake Oettinger stopped 34 of 37 shots, bouncing back after a hard-luck loss in Game 1.
Logan O’Connor had a goal and an assist for Colorado. Jack Drury and Nathan MacKinnon scored the Avalanche’s other goals.
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 35 of 39 shots, with multiple outstanding stops against an aggressive Dallas attack.
Colorado opened the scoring on the power play 8:48 into the first period. MacKinnon found space inside the circle then fired a well-placed wrist shot past Oettinger.
With just 54 seconds left in the first period, Seguin scored a power-play marker of his own for the equalizer. It was Seguin’s first goal since Nov. 29, as the forward missed 58 games of the regular season recovering from a hip surgery.
The two teams exchanged goals within a 62-second span early in the second period. Harley temporarily gave Dallas its first lead of the series, but Drury quickly evened the score at the 4:42 mark.
After Seguin’s last-minute goal in the first period, O’Connor struck even deeper into the second frame with a spectacular goal at the 19:27 mark. While being pulled down by Dallas forward Mason Marchment, O’Connor still had enough strength and leverage to convert a backhanded shot from the slot.
Dadonov equalized again 10:13 into the third period. Wyatt Johnston’s initial shot was stopped by Blackwood, but Dadonov was in front of the net to jam in the rebound.