DENVER — “Desperation” is the buzzword at Ball Arena as the Colorado Avalanche prepare for a must-win Game 6 against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Despite trailing 3-2 in the first-round playoff series, the Avs believe they’ve been the better team for much of the match-up. Aside from a lopsided defeat in Game 5, Colorado has played competitively throughout the series — two of their losses came in overtime, and a few unfortunate bounces decided another.
Now, with their season on the line, the Avalanche are leaning into the pressure.
“We know we weren’t at our best in Game 5, so the pressure’s on — which is fine because pressure is a privilege,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “I think pressure can bring out the best in your team, and that’s what we’re hoping for tomorrow night.”
The players echoed Bednar’s message.
“It’s desperation, it’s fear, it’s win or go home. So for us, it’s everything,” forward Brock Nelson said. “We’re going to go out there and give it everything we have.”
One player Colorado will be counting on heavily is star defenseman Cale Makar, who was recently named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given annually to the NHL’s most outstanding player and voted on by fellow players.
“To be recognized by your peers like that, it’s pretty special,” Makar said. “Especially to have Nate [MacKinnon] and I both recognized, it’s pretty cool.”
Makar has yet to score in the series, but his strong two-way play and leadership have remained steady. With everything on the line, his impact could be a decisive factor in forcing a Game 7.
“I’ve got to be a lot better,” Makar said. “For me, it’s not always about points. It’s about being solid on both sides of the ice. It’s do-or-die now, so we’ve got to step it up.”
Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday night at Ball Arena in Denver. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. MST.
