Nathan MacKinnon was pivotal in the Colorado Avalanche's 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their playoff series. MacKinnon scored a strange goal after his shot deflected off defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, adding to his assist on Artturi Lehkonen's goal, which was ruled legal after a review. The Avalanche capitalized on a double minor penalty against the Stars, showcasing their power-play strength. With this win, the Avalanche also extended the Stars' unfortunate streak, marking their eighth consecutive playoff series loss since 2022.

The game also highlighted the struggles of Stars' goalie Jake Oettinger, who faced relentless pressure and finished with 19 saves. Colorado's Devon Toews further solidified their lead, while MacKinnon's empty-net goal marked his 50th career playoff goal. The Stars will need to regroup quickly as they face a crucial Game 2 at home, trying to break their series-opening drought under coach Pete DeBoer.