Gabriel Landeskog returned to the ice, but the Dallas Stars dampened the spirits of the Colorado captain`s highly anticipated comeback. Dallas secured their second consecutive overtime victory, giving them a 2-1 lead in the series.
In his first game after nearly three years away, Landeskog was met with a roaring ovation from the home crowd at Ball Arena, a clear show of appreciation for the player who persevered through multiple surgeries and setbacks to make his way back.
However, Game 3 on Wednesday did not deliver a fairytale ending for Landeskog and the Avalanche, despite appearing close at one point. With the game tied and just 30 seconds remaining in the third period, Stars winger Mason Marchment committed a high-sticking penalty on Brock Nelson, drawing blood and resulting in a four-minute power play that extended into overtime.
Despite this extended disadvantage, the Stars successfully killed off the double minor penalty. Just over a minute after exiting the penalty box, Marchment played a crucial role in setting up the game-winning goal. He found Tyler Seguin cutting towards the net, and Seguin finished cleanly with a wrist shot into the top corner, giving the Stars a 2-1 win.
Remarkably, Dallas has held the lead for less than 70 seconds across the first three games of the series, yet they still find themselves ahead 2-1. Let`s examine the main talking points from an emotional night at Ball Arena.
Tristan Blackwood