Stars’ top players respond as Avalanche comeback falls short in Game 2

DALLAS — Stars coach Peter DeBoer called out his top scorers after Colorado’s stars fueled a wild Game 1 comeback win.

They heard him.

Miro Heiskanen scored twice, while Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin broke out of slumps to propel Dallas to a 5-3 victory Thursday night in Game 2 at American Airlines Center. This best-of-seven series is now even at 1-1, with Game 3 coming Saturday night at Ball Arena.

“The second period, for me, is where it fell apart,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “Just not sharp. I mean, just go to the penalties alone and it shows you’re not sharp.”

This was easily the sloppiest game by the Avalanche skaters this postseason. Colorado took five penalties. Two were because someone shot the puck over the glass from inside the defensive zone. Two were too many men infractions.

Another was a slashing penalty after Evgenii Dadonov got behind the Avs defense for a breakaway.

“The rest of our execution and frustration kind of keeps building from (the penalties),” Bednar said. “Did not like the second period at all. It just lasted too long — too long of them dominating, too many odd-man rushes against trying to make something out of nothing. Just not disciplined, too stubborn with the puck. It lacked the work needed to have success.”

For the Avalanche, the push for another comeback started too late, but Colorado certainly made it interesting in the final period.

Joel Kiviranta, who returned from a lower-body injury after missing the past three games, ended Oettinger’s shutout bid 4:06 into the third period. Brandon Duhaime added another one with 12 minutes remaining. It was Duhaime’s first career Stanley Cup Playoffs goal.

Valeri Nichushkin collected his ninth goal of this postseason when Artturi Lehkonen shot the puck off his leg and into the net with 3:44 remaining. The Avalanche also had a power play in the final three minutes but did not convert. Instead, the Stars iced it with an empty net goal from Esa Lindell.

“When you take penalties you’re going to chase a game a little bit,” Avs forward Andrew Cogliano said. “You’re just behind it. We have to shore that up. At the end of the day in the playoffs, you have to take the positives.

“We have to look at what we did wrong and correct it but we were down 4-0, we have a power play to tie it up at the end of the game there. So, we’ll definitely use that to propel us for the next game.”

Shortly after Colorado rallied from a three-goal deficit to win 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night, DeBoer said his club needed more from its top scorers. Hintz had one goal and no assists in eight games this postseason before busting out with a four-point night.

Heiskanen had a rough Game 1, including getting beat by Miles Wood on the overtime winner. He responded with a pair of power-play goals.

Seguin had no goals and three points in eight playoff games but collected his first while Dallas was shorthanded late in the second period in what proved to be the game-winning tally.

“I think we have to keep playing the same way we were in the first couple of periods,” Heiskanen said. “If you sit back and give them time and space, they’re a good team and they’re going to make us pay. We have to keep playing aggressive and keep playing with the puck, play in their zone a little more. I think that’s the key.”

This game wasn’t without some controversy. Stars captain Jamie Benn crunched Devon Toews with a hit behind the Avalanche net early in the second period. Benn was originally assessed a major penalty, but the hit was deemed legal after an officials review and the Avs received no power play of any kind.

Toews left the game for about half of the second period but was able to return. Dadonov also appeared to be offsides on the breakaway that eventually led to Dallas’ second power-play goal.

“I don’t know what to say,” Bednar said. “I mean, does he catch a piece of his shoulder? Yeah, I guess you could argue that. But the target is high and it’s at his head and he makes contact with the head. And I’ve seen many times guys get called for the head shot and penalty with a lot less than that, but I guess they didn’t think so.

“It’s a physical game this time of year, but I just can’t understand how that was not a penalty, even if it isn’t a (five-minute major).”

But the Stars were also clearly the more desperate team after blowing the big lead in Game 1 and not wanting to fall behind 2-0 after two games at home for the second straight series.

Heiskanen had the lone goal of the first period. Similar to Game 1, the Avalanche ran into some early penalty trouble and it proved costly. Colorado killed off the first Dallas power play with little trouble, but the Stars converted on the second.