"Blackie made some huge saves": Nathan MacKinnon credits 23-save Avs goalie after dominating win over Stars

The Colorado Avalanche dominated the Dallas Stars 5-1 in Game 1 of their first round playoff series on Saturday night, and Nathan MacKinnon was quick to credit goalie Mackenzie Blackwood for his performance.

Blackwood made 23 saves on 24 shots in his Stanley Cup playoff debut.

“Blackie made some huge saves,” said MacKinnon after the win. “But I thought we carried the play. Thought we did a good job. Yeah, it's good to get a few there."

MacKinnon scored two goals, while Artturi Lehkonen, Devon Toews and Charlie Coyle also netted. When asked how he felt Blackwood handled his first playoff start, MacKinnon said:

"It's just hockey. Prepare your best, do your best, and see the chips fall. I think that's all you can really do. It doesn't matter - game 40 or game one of the playoffs. He's an amazing goalie. I have a lot of trust in him, obviously, and he made some huge saves."

MacKinnon pointed out that without those key stops from Blackwood, the game could have easily been tied 2-2 and had a very different feel and momentum. Instead, the Avalanche cruised to a four-goal victory to take a 1-0 series lead.

Roope Hintz netted for the Stars, while Jake Oettinger had 19 saves. The two teams face off again for Game 2 in Dallas on Monday night.

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Avalanche HC Jared Bednar on 5-1 win against Stars

Lehkonen got Colorado on board first at 9:30 of the second, knocking in his own rebound off his shin pad. MacKinnon scored the power play goal on a deflected shot from the left circle to make it 2-0 at 16:38.

"I thought we did a nice job. We got to some rebounds, we created some good looks both off the rush and [at] five-on-five in the zone. It's a tight-checking game. It's highly competitive in every battle [and] every race," Jared Bednar said.

Hintz got the Stars on the board at 6:45 of the third, tipping in a point shot on the power play. Devon Toews answered at 12:56 with a backdoor tap-in with Josh Manson's assist, while MacKinnon added an empty-netter goal at 16:52 for his second. Charlie Coyle sealed the 5-1 win 11 seconds later on a rebound.