Avalanche vs Stars Picks and Prediction – 4/20/2025

The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche clash Saturday at 6:30 PM ET in Dallas for Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series. Colorado closed the regular season with a 4-2 win over Anaheim, while Dallas rolled in with a 50-win season but lost each of its final seven games of the regular season. Both teams were Central Division contenders and now start a tough seven-game series. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Colorado heads into the series looking to carry some momentum after winning two of the last three, but consistency’s been a problem with three losses in the last five. The Avalanche will be leaning heavily on Nathan MacKinnon, who had an elite 116-point season with 32 goals and 84 assists. He’s the engine of the offense, and his production will be key if Colorado wants to take Game 1 on the road.

Defensively, Colorado allows 2.82 goals per game and averages 25.9 shots against per night, one of the stingiest shot totals in the league. Goalie MacKenzie Blackwood put up 28 wins with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. Special teams are strong with a 24.8% power play and a 79.8% penalty kill, though injuries could be a problem. Gabriel Landeskog remains out long-term and Jonathan Drouin, Valeri Nichushkin, and Artturi Lehkonen are all day-to-day.

Dallas comes into the series running on fumes, having lost seven straight and barely hanging onto second place in the Central division. Matt Duchene has been strong with 82 points, including 30 goals and 52 assists, and Jason Robertson led the team in goals with 35. The Stars have home ice and went 28-10-3 at American Airlines Center, making them a tough out on home ice.

The Stars are just as tight defensively, giving up only 2.71 goals per game. Goaltender Jake Oettinger had 36 wins with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. Dallas owns the better penalty kill at 82% and is solid on special teams with 55 power-play goals. Robertson’s health will be a factor, as he’s listed day-to-day, and the blue line is banged up with Miro Heiskanen out until at least Game 2.

The Stars limp into the postseason with seven straight losses, but will be on home ice, where they won 28 of 41 games this season. Colorado has firepower, especially with Nathan MacKinnon, but the injuries pile up, and Dallas looks deeper at both ends. With Jake Oettinger steady in net and home-ice advantage, Game 1 leans toward the Stars. Final Score Prediction: Dallas Stars win 3-2.