March 6, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinsky (70) is hit in the face by the stick of center Alex Barre-Bullett (27) while chasing a puck with Dallas Stars center Matt Duchene (95) during the second period at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Image Valeri Nichushkin forced overtime in the final minute of regulation and then added the game-winning goal for the visiting Colorado Avalanche, ending the Dallas Stars’ 10-game winning streak at 5-4 on Friday night.
Martin Necas, who had one goal and three assists in regulation, defeated Jake Oettinger to advance to the penalty shootout final. Nathan MacKinnon added a league-leading 42nd goal and two assists, and Cale Makar finished with a goal and an assist.
Scott Wedgewood was a perfect reliever, stopping 10 shots and two more in the shootout to give the Avalanche their fourth straight win. He replaced Mackenzie Blackwood, who had just seven saves on 11 shots before exiting the game less than two minutes into the second period.
Miro Heiskanen, Wyatt Johnston and Justin Hryckowian each had a goal and an assist for Dallas. Jamie Benn also scored, while Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque each had two assists.
Jake Oettinger stopped 25 shots, but his personal winning streak ended at eight.
The matchup between the NHL’s top two teams lived up to expectations with a playoff-like atmosphere, and Nichushkin forced overtime with 15 seconds left in regulation time. It ended with the same score as the first match between the two teams held in Denver on October 11, but this time Colorado won.
Makar’s 19th of the season opened the scoring just 3 minutes, 33 seconds into the game on the power play, but Heiskanen responded less than four minutes later with man-advantage goals set up by Robertson and Johnston.
The trio had an impact on the scoring again with 9:21 left in the period as Johnston’s 34th of the season gave Dallas the lead.
A miscommunication between Blackwood and Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews led to a turnover by Bourque that fed Hryckowian for a goal and made it 3-1 with 3:53 left.
MacKinnon made it 3-2 with less than two seconds left in the period as Colorado got its second power play goal.
The Stars went after Blackwood shortly after the start of the second period on Benn’s goal at 18:08 to regain a two-goal lead.
Necas cut the deficit back to one with 11:54 left in the second. Gabriel Landeskog assisted on his 600th career point.
Nichushkin hit both posts with a shot with three minutes left, but the Russian veteran made the most of his second chance at 13 after the Avalanche pulled Wedgewood for an extra skater with 1:45 left.
Friday marked the return to the ice for Roope Hintz, who has yet to compete since the Olympic break due to illness. But the Dallas forward logged 4:22 in the second after suffering an apparent lower-body injury.
–Field level media
