The Colorado Avalanche will be back in action on Saturday night against the Dallas Stars at Ball Arena. The game will mark the first time since the two squads met in Game 7 of the first round in the 2025 NHL playoffs.
The Avalanche (2-0) are rolling with back-to-back wins. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars (1-0) are coming off a solid showing against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Avs won a tough contest 2-1 against the Utah Mammoth, a game in which the Mammoth played a great game. The Stars have shown thus far they’re a deep club and are poised for another strong season.
So, let’s take a look at the previews, odds, and matchups for the Avalanche vs Stars tilt on Saturday night.
Avalanche vs Stars: Preview
The Colorado Avalanche got a decisive victory in the first game of the season against the LA Kings. Their 4-1 victory left little doubt regarding the Avalanche’s lineup. But on Thursday night, the Avs ran into an upstart Utah club that proved tough.
The key to that victory was the brilliant performance from Scott Wedgewood. The Colorado netminder was stellar, making 32 saves. Wedgewood was sharp, often stopping several key breakaway opportunities.
The game-winner came courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon, who ripped a rocket past Karel Vejmelka on the power play.
As for the Stars, they withstood a hat trick by Jets forward Kyle Connor. Mikko Rantanen had a heck of a night himself, notching a goal and two assists to open his season. Roope Hintz added two assists, with Jake Oettinger stopping 21 of 25 shots for the win.
The game was a bit of a high-scoring affair. The Stars managed to outscore the Jets. However, facing another deep team like the Avalanche could pose a significant challenge for the Stars. Dallas should come out strong, but may find it nearly impossible to contain MacKinnon and Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar.
Colorado vs Dallas: Odds
The Colorado Avalanche head into this contest as the moneyline favorites. According to FanDuel, the Avs get the edge at -132. Meanwhile, the Stars head into this matchup as the underdogs at +110.
The game’s over/under is set at 6.5 goals. The Stars get the over at +106, with the Avalanche getting the under at -130. The spread has the Avalanche a -1.5 (+180) and the Stars at +1.5 (-225).
The game figures to be a tight one for the most part. However, it might come down to a strong third period from either side to make the difference. Fans shouldn’t be surprised to see this game go into overtime.
Colorado vs Dallas: Matchups
Without a doubt, the Avalanche will have their hands full with former teammate Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen has picked up where he left off in last year’s playoffs. Also, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, and Jason Robertson will all be players to watch.
The Stars' ultimate path to victory could come down to netminder Jake Oettinger making timely saves to keep his team in the game.
As for the Avalanche, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are the players to watch. They’ll be high on the Stars’ radar. So, other key performers like captain Gabe Landeskog, Martin Necas, Valeri Nichushkin, and Brock Nelson could be the difference-makers.
However, fans should also keep an eye on Colorado’s bottom six. The Avs have a deeper bottom six relative to the Stars. The Avs have a little more punch and firepower. As such, this Avalanche vs Stars showdown could be decided by the unsung heroes in the bottom six.
It’s also worth noting that Colorado has what many pundits consider the best blue line in the NHL. If the Avs’ defense core can keep up their hard work, Scott Wedgewood’s night might not be quite as tough.
Prediction: Colorado could have the edge in a tight-checking game. Although, there’s always the possibility the Avalanche could pull away early if the Dallas defense can’t contain the onslaught from the start.
Please note that game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.