Coming off a dominant Game 4 win, the Colorado Avalanche felt like they were ready to take control of this series. With news that star defenseman Miro Heiskanen would not return for Game 5, it felt like the Avalanche had the Dallas Stars right where they wanted them.

The longtime rivals’ first-round series is knotted at 2-2 after the Avs bounced back from two straight OT losses with a statement Game 4 win in which the Stars were blanked on the scoreboard and fell 4-0. The series now returns to Dallas and the confines of the American Airlines Center.

The Colorado Avalanche hosted the Dallas Stars for Game 3 of their first-round NHL playoff series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on April 23, 2025. Avalanche Captain Gabriel Landeskog returned