Colorado Avalanche (50-25-7, third in the Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (52-21-9, first in the Central Division)
Dallas; Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Stars -131, Avalanche +111; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Stars host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche in game one of the Western Conference second round. The teams meet Sunday for the fifth time this season. The Avalanche went 3-1 against the Stars during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 7, the Stars won 7-4.
Dallas is 52-21-9 overall with a 17-7-2 record against the Central Division. The Stars are 30-7-2 in games they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponents.
Colorado has gone 50-25-7 overall with a 20-9-2 record in Central Division games. The Avalanche have allowed 252 goals while scoring 302 for a +50 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jason Robertson has 29 goals and 51 assists for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston has four goals and three assists over the past 10 games.
Mikko Rantanen has 42 goals and 62 assists for the Avalanche. Valeri Nichushkin has nine goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 6-4-0, averaging two goals, 3.3 assists, 2.1 penalties and 4.2 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.
Avalanche: 6-3-1, averaging 4.5 goals, 7.5 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Stars: Jani Hakanpaa: day to day (lower body), Mason Marchment: day to day (undisclosed).
Avalanche: Jonathan Drouin: out (lower-body), Gabriel Landeskog: out for season (knee), Logan O'Connor: out for season (hip), Joel Kiviranta: day to day (lower body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
