The Colorado Avalanche (49-29-4) and the Dallas Stars (50-26-6) head back to Dallas tied 2-2 after Colorado dominated Game 4 with a 4-0 win. Nathan MacKinnon had another strong showing, while Jake Oettinger struggled in net. Dallas will be looking to bounce back at the American Airlines Center, where they’ve been strong all year, going 28-10-3 at home. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Colorado took control in Game 4, showing why they were one of the NHL’s top offenses, averaging 3.33 goals per game. Nathan MacKinnon has been phenomenal all year, racking up 116 points with 32 goals and 84 assists. Mackenzie Blackwood has been solid between the pipes with a 2.55 GAA and a .912 save percentage. Injuries could be a factor with Ross Colton day-to-day and defenseman Sean Behrens out. The Avalanche’s 24.8% power play is lethal and could be a huge edge again in Game 5.

Defensively, Colorado keeps things tight, allowing just 2.82 goals per game and holding teams to 25.9 shots per contest. The penalty kill is decent at 79.8%, and they’ve played disciplined hockey with 560 penalty minutes. Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood have been a reliable tandem when needed, and the Avalanche’s ability to limit quality chances could be crucial again in Dallas. Staying out of the box and capitalizing on the man advantage will be keys.

Dallas returns home after being shut out for the first time this postseason and needs a big response. Matt Duchene leads the Stars in points with 82, and Jason Robertson, who has 35 goals, is a key absence for Dallas heading into Game 5. Jake Oettinger had a rough outing but still holds a respectable 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage over the season. Dallas needs to get back to dictating the pace early and feeding off its home crowd energy.

Defensively, Dallas has been slightly better than Colorado all season, giving up just 2.71 goals per game. The penalty kill is a strong 82.0%, and the Stars have been aggressive, leading to 572 penalty minutes. Without Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson, the Stars are banged up and missing some major firepower, but they have depth. Casey DeSmith offers a capable backup option if needed in net to help stabilize the defense.

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