Avs' Cale Makar plays down concerns with quality of ice in Stars' home arena after OT loss in Game 2

Modified Apr 22, 2025 10:58 GMT

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars - Source: Imagn — Avs' Cale Makar plays down concerns with quality of ice in Stars' home arena after OT loss in Game 2 - Source: Imagn

Defenseman Cale Makar dismissed concerns about ice quality following the Colorado Avalanche's 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series.

The contest was a close, back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading opportunities. The Stars trailed 3-2 after two periods but leveled the score in the third, forcing overtime. Colin Blackwell secured the victory with his debut playoff goal for Dallas.

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Cale Makar acknowledged that the Avalanche had the edge for parts of the first two periods, while admitting that defensive miscues allowed the Stars to capitalize.

"I mean, at times it's gonna be the ebbs and flows of the game. Obviously, you gotta say you can kill through the whole thing," said Makar post-game. "And there were times where we had good chances, and the couple times where we got sloppy defensively, they're very opportunistic teams, so they're gonna capitalize."

Addressing instances of player slipping, Makar downplayed any issues with ice at the American Airlines Center:

"No. I mean, the ice here is usually not one of the better ones, but it is what it is. Everybody's playing on the same sheet, so definitely not a factor," he added.

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The best-of-seven-game series between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars is tied 1-1. Both teams will head to Denver for Game 3 at Ball Arena on Wednesday. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Cale Makar and the Avs drop Game 2 to Stars

Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for the Avalanche after putting them ahead 1-0 on the power play at 8:48 into the first period. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Tyler Seguin capitalized on the power play to make it 1-1 for the Stars.

Thomas Harley put the hosts ahead 2-1 at 3:40 into the second period. Jack Drury then tied it 2-2 for the Avalanche before Logan O'Connor's goal at 19:27 restored the Avs' lead to 3-2 before the final period.

Evgeni Dadonov leveled the score 3-3 for Dallas, forcing overtime, where Blackwell scored the winner for the hosts. Sam Steel notched two points for the Stars, and goaltender Jake Oettinger made 34 saves with a .919 save percentage.

Cale Makar picked up an assist in the game to bring his series tally to two points in as many games.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta