Stars eek by Avalanche in defensive battle between NHL's top two teams

Corey Masisak, The Denver Post on Mar 19, 2026

Published in Hockey

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The two best teams in the NHL just can’t seem to find any separation from each other.

For the third time in as many meetings this season, the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars needed a shootout to decide matters. And for the second time, the Stars prevailed at Ball Arena. Wyatt Johnston had the lone goal of the one-on-one contest in a 2-1 win for the visitors.

“I have very little issues with the way we played,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “I’ve said it all along, I’m not going to judge our team on results only. I think that’s a losing battle. I think you play like that … and good things will happen.”

The Avs outshot the Stars, 34-18. They put forth one of their best defensive efforts of the season, including a first period with only two shots on goal against.

It didn’t lead to a win. Colorado’s lead in the Central Division is now down to two points. The last time anyone in the Central was this close to the Avs was Dec. 10 — 98 days ago.

“(There was) a ton of good,” Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood said. “I don’t know what percentage you want to give, but most nights we win that game. They didn’t have much all night, a couple chances. We doubled them up in shots.

“A lot of good things, but hockey is hockey and that’s sometimes the way it goes.”

Cale Makar put Colorado on the board first with the lone goal of the opening period. The Avs kept the puck in the Dallas zone for a long time during a power play, searching for a chance to shoot. Eventually, Makar worked his way into a spot just to the inside of the right circle and Nazem Kadri found him for a one-timer.

It was Makar’s 20th goal of the season. It’s also the fourth time Makar has reached 20 goals in his career. He’s the 12th defenseman in NHL history to hit 20 goals four times in his career. Among the other guys to do it, the most recent season any of them played was Brian Leetch in 2000-01.

“That was a very difficult game against a really good team. I find that Cale shows up in those games the most, which is a really good sign,” Bednar said. “He was no different tonight. He was one of the best players on the ice.”

Nathan MacKinnon also had an assist on the play, giving him 111 points. That ties the third-most of his career, which he set in 2022-23. It may be hard for him to reach his career high (140, from two years ago), but getting to 121 or more for the second-most by an Avalanche player since the franchise moved to Colorado certainly seems likely.

Jason Robertson tied the game with the lone goal of the middle period. Nathan Bastian used Avs defenseman Josh Manson as a screen on the initial shot, which went off the right post. The puck caromed right to Robertson in the left circle. Scott Wedgewood dove to his right and got his stick on Robertson’s offering, but it still went in the net for his 37th goal of the season.

Dallas came to Denver as the hottest team in the NHL. The Stars are 14-1-1 since Jan. 23, and cut what was a 12-point lead for the Avs atop the Central Division and Western Conference standings down to three when Wednesday began.

The first two games between these clubs were fireworks-filled, wild affairs. Both games ended 5-4 in a shootout — Dallas won in Denver in mid-October, while Colorado won in North Texas earlier this month on trade deadline day.

Both teams struggled in their previous games, though. Dallas lost in regulation for the first time in nearly two months, a 6-3 loss to Utah, two nights ago. Colorado had a chance to extend its lead later that night, but Pittsburgh came to Ball Arena and handed the Avs their worst lost of the season.

This was exactly the type of effort the Avs were looking for. Just not the result — a familiar refrain against the hockey club from Dallas.

“From the goaltender out, everyone was good,” Bednar said. “It was, overall, one of our best efforts that we’ve had in a long time, and against a team that’s right there. I liked our game a lot.”