After being a healthy scratch for the Dallas Stars’ playoff opener, Colin Blackwell on Monday got a shot and changed the trajectory of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche with an overtime goal for a 4-3 win in Game 2.
Blackwell was hoping for another crack at the playoffs when he signed with the Stars in free agency last summer. This is his sixth team in seven NHL seasons and he had only been in the post-season one other time.
“I always felt my game’s kinda built for the playoffs and stuff along those lines. I love rising to the occasion and playing in moments like this,” Blackwell said. “That was a big win for us. I think if we go into Colorado down 2-0, it’s a different series. I think that’s why you’re only as good as your next win or your next shift.”
Photo: AFP
Blackwell’s only previous playoff experience was a seven-game series with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a first-round loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning three years ago.
Stars coach Pete DeBoer talked to Blackwell when he did not play in Game 1 on Saturday.
I “said: ‘Be ready, you’re not going to be out long,’” DeBoer told reporters. “I wanted to get him in Game 2. He’s one of those energy guys. I thought after losing Game 1 we needed a little shot of energy. He’s a competitive player and I thought he was effective all night, but it’s also great to see a guy like that get a goal, out Game 1, work with the black aces, and then come in and play a part in playoff hockey.”
Photo: AFP
Blackwell scored 17 minutes, 46 seconds into overtime after his initial shot ricocheted off teammate Sam Steel and Avs defenseman Samuel Girard in front of the net.
However, with the puck rolling loose on the ice, the fourth-line forward circled around and knocked it in for the winner.
The 32-year-old Blackwell, a Harvard graduate who played for the Chicago Blackhawks the past two seasons, said he has often had to go in and out of lineups and has learned to stay sharp mentally, and keep working hard on and off the ice. In his first season for Dallas, he had 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) over 63 regular-season games.
Photo: AFP
“It’s been a long season, and not playing the first game, stuff like that, just kind of been in and out of the lineup toward the end here,” he said. “I don’t really worry about making a mistake. I just go out there and play hockey and good things happen.”
In Washington, Alex Ovechkin scored two goals, including the winner in overtime, to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series.
It was Ovechkin’s first career playoff overtime goal.
Photo: AFP
He also notched an assist for Washington, who squandered a two-goal lead in the third period, but rallied in the extra session.
Anthony Beauvillier finished with a goal and an assist, while Dylan Strome logged three assists.
Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki scored for Montreal, each on an assist from Lane Hutson.
In Los Angeles, Phillip Danault scored his second goal of the game with 41.1 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Kings a 6-5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in their Stanley Cup playoffs opener.
In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Kyle Connor scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period for a second straight game to help the Jets win 2-1 against the visiting St Louis Blues in Game 2 of their first-round series.
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