The Colorado Avalanche's postseason woes deepened as they succumbed to the Dallas Stars 6-2 in Game 5 of their first-round series. A key moment was a dubious high-sticking call against Avalanche's Josh Manson, initiated by Jamie Benn's dramatic fall, which helped Dallas maintain their lead. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, previously solid, faltered with an unfortunate goal just nine seconds into the game and struggled throughout, leading to his replacement by Scott Wedgewood. The Avalanche’s disarray was evident early on, with Nathan MacKinnon losing track of an opponent, which led to one of the fastest postseason goals in Dallas history. Colorado's defensive lapses and Blackwood's mistakes were too significant for the team to overcome.