*Photo from the Denver Post*
Before the super bowl got underway on Sunday, there was some matinee hockey to be played, including one game (enters into song) deep in the heart of Texas. Gabe Landeskog scored two goals, Nazem Kadri scored, and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars with a 4-0 win on Sunday afternoon.
The Avalanche have been a completely different team since mid December, morphing into a completely unstoppable team. They've increased their point streak to 19 games with this shutout, and have not lost in regulation since December 16 against the Nashville Predators. With his goal, Kadri set a new career best with 62 points this season.
Asked about that new record, Kadri said "It's in the back of your mind. You're mindful to it, but it's not something I focus on too much. I just feel like I'm in a zone right now, and the best way to continue that is to just to stay focused and not get too far ahead of yourself."
The tone setter in net for the Avs was Darcy Kuemper, who was at the top of his game with the shutout. Kuemper stopped all 23 shots from the Stars, for a perfect 1.000 save percentage. That also improved his season save percentage to .918, and his record improves to a 23-5-2 mark in 33 starts this season.
It was Landeskog who opened the scoring for Colorado, tallying his 21st goal of the season 5:31 into the game, with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar assisting to put the Avs up 1-0. 6:20 later, Kadri doubled the lead to 2-0 with his 21st goal of the season as well, with the lone assist coming from Makar.
After a scoreless second period, Nicolas Aube-Kubel picked up his 7th goal of the season 13:50 into the 3rd period, increasing the lead to 3-0 with assists coming from Valeri Nichushkin and Tyson Jost. Landeskog then scored his second goal of the night on an empty net with 1:50 left to play, sealing the 4-0 win.
MacKinnon was pleased with the team's play, saying that "I think with our forecheck, we were in their end a lot. I think when they got the puck it was more at the end of their shifts, and they didn't have a ton of energy just from us hemming them in. As well as our amazing defensemen moving the puck out quick, they make it easy."
As for the Stars, they continue a plunge in the standings, finishing a 6 game homestand with a 3-3-0 record, now sitting in 5th place in the Central Division with a 25-19-2 record, looking enviously at the division leaders, the Avalanche themselves.
Making his first start since January 26 for the Stars was Braden Holtby. He had a decent night, saving 26 of the 29 shots he faced, but Kuemper was perfect on the other side of the ice. With the loss, Holtby's record drops to 9-10-1 in 21 starts.
Stars head coach Rick Bowness said postgame "Where's our swagger? It wasn't there. It was there sporadically in the second, but it certainly wasn't there in the third. That has to come from within. When you get 20 guys playing with an aggressive mindset, we're a good hockey club. When we have 20 guys who aren't aggressive and on the same wavelength, we're not."
Both teams will see each other again on Tuesday night, finishing a home and home series, this game coming in Denver. Kuemper is the likely starter for the Avalanche, while Jake Oettinger will likely start for Dallas.
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