The rivalry started in the 20th century and it is still going strong three decades into the 21st. The next chapter begins Tuesday night in Dallas when the Stars host the Colorado Avalanche in the first game of a home-and-home set.
The teams’ history with one another dates to their epic seven-game series in 1999, won by Dallas on the way to its only Stanley Cup title. They’ve met six more times in the postseason, with the Stars winning four of those series.
The stakes are lower in just the sixth game of the regular season, but the intensity should be apparent with both teams coming off losses Saturday night. The Stars fell in a shootout at Pittsburgh, 2-1, but the positive outcome of the setback was Tyler Seguin’s goal in the final minute of regulation that salvaged a point.
It was Seguin’s first goal since Nov. 15, 2025, which came a couple of weeks before he suffered a season-ending ACL tear. The center was pointless in his first four games.
“It felt great,” Seguin said. “Every day, just trying to get better. Every game, I feel a little more comfortable, feel a little better. Compete a little more. Nice to get one.”
Goaltender Jake Oettinger is off to a strong start to the year, with two shutouts in his four starts and a microscopic 0.74 goals-against average. Oettinger had a shutout streak of 188:52 going before giving up a goal early in the third period against the Penguins.
“He’s as dialed (in) as they come,” Stars forward Justin Hryckowian said. “He takes care of himself away from the rink as well. He’s a pro’s pro.”
He will be tested against Colorado, which leads the league in scoring with 26 goals in five games.
The Avalanche are facing a shakeup on their coaching staff with assistant Dave Hakstol in the mix to lead the Arizona State men’s program. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar said the team granted Hakstol permission to talk to the Sun Devils but added he will be with the team in Dallas on Tuesday night.
The Avalanche have dropped two of their last three games after a 6-3 loss to Toronto on Saturday night. Mackenzie Blackwood, who has served as the No. 1 goalie with four starts, had a shaky night with just 17 saves. He allowed three goals on four shots in the second period when the Maple Leafs took the lead, and despite Bednar saying he would have liked his netminder to have made a save, he didn’t blame Blackwood for any of the goals.
Blackwood will get the start Tuesday night and Bednar has confidence he will bounce back.
“I feel like every day on the ice he’s been exceptional,” Bednar said.
Overall, Bednar is pleased with his team’s offensive game while the defense is rounding into form two weeks into the new season.
“What we’re doing on the offensive side has been really good,” he said. “You’re expecting early in the year to have to clean up the defense. The whole year you’re trying to raise the bar and make the standard tighter, less mistakes in every area.”
–Field Level Media
