Avalanche take down Stars, force Game 7 of first-round series - ESPN

DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon got credit for a go-ahead goal with 10:56 remaining after the puck bounced off the shoulder of a Dallas player, and the Colorado Avalanche staved off elimination by beating the Stars 7-4 in Game 6 on Thursday night.

The first-round playoff series heads to Dallas for Game 7 on Saturday.

On the winning goal, MacKinnon sent a pass into traffic in front of the net that Sam Steel tried to clear. But it hit the shoulder of Colin Blackwell and caromed toward the net. Goaltender Jake Oettinger couldn't corral the fluttering puck with his glove.

Valeri Nichushkin scored twice, including the tying tally with 13:58 remaining, for Colorado. Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also added goals, while Josh Manson and Cale Makar scored into an empty net.

Makar, MacKinnon, Brock Nelson and captain Gabriel Landeskog each added two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood made 22 saves to send the first-round playoff series back to Dallas.

Stars coach Pete DeBoer is 8-0 all-time in Game 7s, while the Avalanche have lost the last six times they've been in a decisive seventh game of a series.

Colorado avoided having its season end at the hands of Dallas in a Game 6 at home for a second straight postseason. Stars forward and former Avalanche player Matt Duchene ended the second-round series a year ago in double overtime.

Trailing 2-0, the Stars erupted with a four-goal second period led by Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz had two goals and two assists, while Rantanen added a goal and three assists against his former team. The Finnish standouts are the first pair of teammates in league history to each record four points in a playoff period, according to NHL Stats.

Mikael Granlund, another Finnish player, also scored in the