The energy inside Ball Arena was suffocating. You could feel it through the TV screen, honestly. When people talk about the Avalanche Stars Game 7 scenario, they usually point to the 2020 bubble or the classic late-90s wars, but the 2024 Second Round exit felt different because the Avs weren't supposed to go out like that. Technically, it ended in six games—a double-overtime heartbreaker—but the ghost of a potential Game 7 looms over that entire series like a thick fog.
Hockey is cruel.
One minute you’re watching Cale Makar dance at the blue line, and the next, Matt Duchene—of all people—is burying the rebound that sends Colorado packing. It was a weird series. The Stars played a suffocating brand of "DeBoer hockey" that basically turned the neutral zone into a minefield. Colorado, usually the fastest team in the league, looked like they were skating through wet concrete for about 70% of those 60-plus minutes.
The Matt Duchene Revenge Arc and the Non-Game 7
Most people forget that while we didn't get a literal Game 7 in 2024, Game 6 was the Game 7 for Colorado. They played it with the desperation of a team staring at a cliff. The Dallas Stars were just deeper. It’s hard to admit, but they were. When you look at the roster construction, Jim Nill built a monster that could absorb the Avalanche’s speed and spit out counter-attacks.
The turning point? Probably the Valeri Nichushkin situation.
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Losing a top-line power forward to the Player Assistance Program right before a crucial stretch is a gut punch you don't just "walk off." It gutted the power play. It forced Nathan MacKinnon to do too much. We’ve seen MacKinnon carry this team on his back before, but even a Hart Trophy winner has limits when Chris Tanev is glued to his hip for eighteen minutes a night. Tanev was the unsung hero of that series, blocking shots with parts of his body that probably shouldn't be used for shot-blocking.
Why the Avalanche Stars Game 7 History is So Intense
If you want to understand the rivalry, you have to look back at 2020. That was the real Avalanche Stars Game 7 nightmare. Joel Kiviranta. A hat trick. A name most Avs fans still can't say without a visible flinch.
That game was a microcosm of the franchise's struggle to get over the second-round hump before their 2022 Cup run. It was high-scoring, chaotic, and featured a third-string goaltender in Michael Hutchinson trying to hold back the tide. Dallas has this weird knack for being the specific kryptonite for Colorado’s system. They don’t try to out-skate the Avs; they try to out-structure them.
The Tactical Breakdown: Speed vs. Spacing
- The Avalanche Philosophy: Use Makar and Toews to trigger a five-man rush. It's about overwhelming the defense with late trailers and high-speed entries.
- The Stars Philosophy: Protect the "house." They pack the middle of the ice, force shots to the perimeter, and trust Jake Oettinger to see everything.
When these two styles clash, the margin for error is basically zero. In the 2024 matchup, the Stars’ penalty kill was a literal wall. The Avs’ power play, which looked like a cheat code against Winnipeg in Round 1, suddenly couldn't complete a cross-seam pass. That’s the difference. In a Game 7 environment, special teams aren't just important—they are the only thing that matters.
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The Nathan MacKinnon Factor
MacKinnon is a beast. We know this. But the 2024 exit raised some uncomfortable questions about how teams are starting to "solve" the Colorado attack. By taking away the middle of the ice and letting Makar shoot from the point with no traffic, Dallas dared the Avs to win with "ugly" goals. Colorado didn't have enough guys willing to get to the blue paint and stay there.
Wyatt Johnston, on the other hand, was a revelation for Dallas. The kid plays like a ten-year vet. He was opportunistic. He stayed calm when the Ball Arena crowd was deafening. Watching a 21-year-old out-muscle seasoned pros in the corners tells you everything you need to know about why that series ended the way it did.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rivalry
There's this narrative that the Avs are "soft" compared to the Stars. That’s nonsense. You don't win a Stanley Cup in 2022 by being soft. The real issue is depth scoring. When your top line isn't producing at a 2.0 point-per-game clip, who steps up? For Dallas, it was different guys every night. Seguin, Marchment, Benn—they all chipped in. For Colorado, the drop-off after the big guns was noticeable, especially with the injuries and off-ice absences.
Honestly, the Avalanche Stars Game 7 tension is largely fueled by the fact that these two teams are divisional rivals. They see each other constantly. There’s no mystery. It’s just a chess match where both players have memorized each other's openings.
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Looking Ahead: Can Colorado Flip the Script?
To beat Dallas in a winner-take-all scenario, the Avalanche need to evolve. They can’t just be the "fast team" anymore. The league has caught up to the speed. They need more secondary scoring and a goaltending performance that matches Jake Oettinger’s consistency. Alexandar Georgiev had his moments, but he wasn't the "wall" they needed in the moments that defined the series.
The window for this core—MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen—is still wide open. But the Stars aren't going anywhere. They are young, they are big, and they are exceptionally well-coached. Every time these two teams meet in the playoffs, it feels like a preview of the Western Conference Finals, even if it happens in the second round.
Actionable Insights for the Next Season
If you're a fan or an analyst looking at how this rivalry develops, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- Zone Entry Success Rates: Watch how many times Colorado is forced to dump and chase versus carrying the puck in. If Dallas keeps them to the outside, the Avs lose.
- High-Danger Scoring Chances: The Avs often win the shot clock but lose the high-danger chance battle. They need more shots from the "home plate" area in front of the net.
- The Health of Gabriel Landeskog: His absence is the single biggest factor in the Avs' lack of net-front presence. If he returns, the dynamic of a potential Game 7 changes instantly.
- Faceoff Percentage: In tight games, puck possession off the draw is everything. Dallas historically dominates Colorado in the circle, which allows them to dictate the pace.
The rivalry is far from over. Whether it's a literal Game 7 or a series-clinching Game 6, the road to the Cup in the Western Conference almost certainly goes through a showdown between the Burgundy and Blue and the Victory Green.