Stars' top players respond, another Avalanche comeback falls just short in Game 2 defeat

DALLAS — 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.

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.

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 setting up the first goal Thursday night and scoring the second.

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 to thwart any chance of Colorado making another three-goal comeback.

This was easily the sloppiest game by the Avalanche skaters of 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. The fourth was a slashing penalty after Evgenii Dadonov got behind the Avs defense for a breakaway.

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