Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars

Rantanen scores in shootout, Avalanche beat Stars 3-2

Rantanen beat Oettinger to the glove side on the second of Colorado’s three shootout attempts.

Alex Newhook and Cale Makar scored in regulation for the Avalanche, who swept a three-game road trip, have won seven of their last eight games, and moved within a point of first-place Dallas in the Central Division. Alexandar Georgiev made 22 saves for the Avs.

“I felt like we got better as this road trip went on,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.

Jason Robertson scored twice for the Stars, who have earned points in their last five games (3-0-2). His goal with 25.8 seconds left in the third period sent the game into overtime. Jake Oettinger stopped 34 shots.

“That game should have ended in regulation. I felt like we outplayed them for most of the night,” said Makar, who recorded his 200th career point in his 195th game – the fastest of any NHL defenseman ever.

“It’s always a good point when you’re playing the Stanley Cup champion,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said.

It was Dallas’ first shootout of the season. The Avs are 2-0 in shootouts.

“They’re a good measuring stick,” Oettinger said. “I don’t think we played our best game tonight, but to be that close is a good thing.”

Robertson was Dallas’ third shooter after Tyler Seguin couldn’t get his shot away and Joe Pavelski sent a backhander over the crossbar. Robertson’s attempt sailed wide.

Robertson sent the game into overtime with a 6-on-5 goal from a tough angle at the top of the right circle.

Newhook was alone in front of the crease to cash in on a rebound after Oettinger made a point-blank save on Evan Rodrigues to give the Avalanche a 2-1 at 2:06 of the third period.

Robertson’s first goal, at 5:33 of the second period, tied the score at 1 and was awarded after a lengthy review. Robertson poked at the puck as he was being cross-checked by Andreas Englund head-first into Georgiev, with the resulting collision knocking off the net after the puck crossed the goal line.

Robertson has 14 goals, tied for second in the NHL. Twelve have come during his current 12-game point streak, which is one game short of the all-time Dallas mark set by Dave Gagner in 1993-94.

Makar opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 10:10, a one-timer into the top corner off a pass from Rantanen behind the net.

That gave the league’s best power play going into the game (36.5%) a man-advantage goal in six consecutive games. But Dallas killed off the other five Avs power plays, including one in overtime.

WHAT AN ENCORE

Makar won last season’s Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy and hasn’t skipped a beat this season. He hit 200 career points 12 games faster than the previous best, by Sergei Zubov – whose uniform number was retired by Dallas.

“If we don’t have this group of guys, I don’t think that gets accomplished,” Makar said.

Makar went into play leading the NHL averaging 26:41 per game and played a game-high 32:17.

Game notes
Colorado is 8-0-0 when leading after the first period. … Stars C Roope Hintz returned after missing one game with an upper body injury and assisted on Robertson’s second goal. … Avs F Martin Kaut left the game midway through the first period after crashing into the boards and returned during the second period.

UP NEXT

Avalanche: Host Vancouver on Wednesday

Stars: Host Chicago on Wednesday.

COL leads series 1-0