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Prior to the beginning of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, one collection stood out from the remainder: Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche.
Both groups completed with greater than 100 issues within the common season, gave the impression to be in a championship-contention window and hired Mikko Rantanen at one time throughout the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Sure sufficient, the 2 golf equipment have battled of their collection — and 6 video games were not sufficient to resolve a victor.
Saturday night time (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+) might be Game 7. It is the 199th Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoff historical past, and if you happen to revel in nail-biters, contemporary historical past suggests you’re in success: Since 2022, 11 of the 14 Game 7s had been made up our minds by way of one target, together with all 4 in 2024.
To lend a hand get you totally ready for the sport, we have now collected ESPN journalists and analysts to spot the important thing gamers to look at, along side ultimate ranking predictions for the pivotal conflict.
Who is the only key participant you’ll be able to be gazing?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: It must be Matt Duchene. After scoring 30 aims and attaining 80 issues for the second one time in his occupation, he has just one level within the collection.
His productiveness used to be key within the common season, and the Stars may just use a powerful efficiency from Duchene in Game 7. Remember what he did opposed to his former crew in an removing sport remaining postseason: The Stars received in double time beyond regulation on Duchene’s target.
Emily Kaplan, NHL reporter: Cale Makar. It does not really feel proper that the most efficient defenseman on the planet, who scored 30 aims this season, does not have a target this collection. He holds himself to a excessive usual, announcing “I have to be a lot better” forward of the pivotal Game 6. Makar used to be, selecting up 3 issues to stave off removing, however I nonetheless suppose he’s going to get to some other tools Saturday.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Valeri Nichushkin. The Stars have had their arms complete looking to forestall the second-line energy ahead — and ex-teammate — when he is at his most efficient. After potting a couple of aims to lend a hand propel the Avalanche to Game 7, Nichushkin is poised so as to add some other target (or two) when it issues maximum. Like many others within the league, he has a tendency to attain in bunches. After now not being to be had for the Avs in contemporary playoffs, he has further incentive.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Nathan MacKinnon has six aims and 10 issues on this collection. If there is one man with the very best ranges of compete and a “never say die” angle, it is MacKinnon. MacKinnon’s six aims is one shy of tying the franchise file for many aims in a playoff collection (with Rantanen amongst the ones which can be these days tied for that file).
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: This is the instant for Mikko Rantanen. Dallas went all-in when it obtained Rantanen, whom the Stars signed for the lengthy haul so he is usually a difference-maker at a time like this.
Rantanen used to be superb in serving to Dallas leap again in Game 5, completing with a target and two assists. He had 4 issues within the Stars’ Game 6 defeat. That’s one of these efficiency the Stars must be expecting him to copy in Game 7. Rantanen received a Stanley Cup with the Avs; he is aware of what it takes to complete a chain and advance deep into the playoffs. That revel in might be worthwhile as neatly for Rantanen as he leads by way of instance for the Stars.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: He’s now not at the ice, however in the back of the bench. Dallas trainer Peter DeBoer can set an NHL file for occupation Game 7 wins if the Stars defeat the Avalanche. He’s 8-0 in his occupation, tied with a number of gamers and trainer Darryl Sutter for probably the most occupation Game 7 wins. DeBoer and previous Dallas ahead Brad Richards are the one two folks in NHL historical past to win their first 8 Game 7s.
On one hand, it is almost certainly now not nice that such a lot of of DeBoer’s groups had been in “win or go home” collection eventualities. On the opposite hand, it’s been the combatants who’ve long gone domestic each and every time.
The ultimate ranking might be _____.
Clark: 4-3 Stars. Granted, the rest can occur in a Game 7, particularly when a crew as robust because the Avs is concerned. The Stars get the nod as a result of they now not simplest have received Game 7s in consecutive postseasons, however their trainer Peter DeBoer is 8-0 in those do-or-die video games. Again, it is the Avs and the Stars — this means that any selection of probabilities may well be at the desk — however Dallas will get the slight edge.
Kaplan: 4-3 Avalanche. It might be high-octane. The tempo on this collection has been fantastic, but it surely has ceaselessly been the Avalanche atmosphere the tone — and I be expecting them to be flying once more. What the Stars have performed with out two in their largest stars, Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson, presentations their intensity. But the Avs have an excessive amount of famous person energy to not get it performed.
Matiash: 3-1 Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon, at his very best, is hard to include when the entirety is at the line. Even if the Stars stifle the Avs’ best unit, that secondary ahead entrance, together with Nichushkin, Brock Nelson, and Gabriel Landeskog, supplies too bold a follow-up punch. Plus, Mackenzie Blackwood, who has strung in combination few porous begins all season, seems set to supply some other stellar appearing, very similar to the shutout he pitched in Game 4.
Öcal: 3-1 Stars. Jake Oettinger makes 43 saves. Roope Hintz opens the scoring, the Avs tie it up due to Cale Makar at the energy play. Early within the 3rd, it is who else however Mikko Rantanen scoring on a breakaway, then Thomas Harley provides an empty-netter and Dallas strikes directly to Round 2.
Shilton: 3-2 Stars. It by no means hurts to have home-ice benefit in a Game 7, particularly whilst you’ve performed as neatly on your personal development as Dallas did all season. The Stars had been the simpler crew — by way of a slender margin — within the collection, and despite the fact that it must be a detailed contest, Dallas has the juice to ship Colorado packing.
Peter DeBoer’s very best training file in Game 7s apart, the Stars are nearly seasoned vets on the subject of taking part in in them, whilst the Avalanche have not had the similar luck remaining groups out since their Cup win 3 years in the past. It’ll be a decent combat.
Wyshynski: Stars 4-2. I picked them ahead of the collection in seven video games and I’ll persist with that. That used to be a one-goal Game 6 till the empty-netters, regardless of Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen being everything of the Dallas offense. The Stars will want one thing out of Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment in Game 7. The encouraging factor is they were given one thing out of all 3 of them within the Stars’ Game 5 rout, so possibly they only want some domestic cooking.
Factor in Jake Oettinger‘s 1.54 goals-against moderate and .956 save share in 3 Game 7 appearances (2-1 file), and I really like Dallas to advance.
