Nathan MacKinnon took a stick to the face, had a part in both of Colorado's strange goals in the second period and capped his night with an empty-netter for his 50th career playoff goal. And Mackenzie Blackwood backed up the Avalanche in a big way as the goalie made his playoff debut after 252 regular-season games for three teams over seven seasons.

The first game of the Colorado Avalanche - Dallas Stars series was close to start with two full periods of scoreless hockey, but by the time the final horn of the second frame sounded, Nathan MacKinnon had added another milestone to an already stellar career.

Avalanche's Resting Of Stars Is The Right Thing To Do The Colorado Avalanche are locked into a first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. An