Sixty two seconds.
That’s how long the Dallas Stars have led through three games of this second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series. Yet somehow, they’re the ones holding a 2-1 series lead over the Colorado Avalanche.
The stat is head-scratching — and maddening — if you’re in the Avalanche locker room. There’s no panic. But there’s definitely a flicker of concern. And with concern comes change.
As Colorado prepares for Game 4 on Saturday at Ball Arena, head coach Jared Bednar is once again shuffling the deck. The message is clear: the margin for error is gone.
Here are three key Avalanche storylines heading into Game 4:
1. Forward Line Shakeup — Again
The Avs tried a new look in Game 3. It sparked Valeri Nichushkin, who rediscovered his edge. But the top line? Flat. Too much perimeter play, not enough bite.
So Bednar’s tweaking things again.
Artturi Lehkonen is expected to reunite with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas on the top line — a trio that needs a player like Lehkonen, who thrives in the trenches. He’s not flashy, but he’s relentless, and this line needs a crash-and-bang element to balance its finesse.
The bigger shift is on the second line. Captain Gabriel Landeskog, after just one game back, is already earning a promotion. He skated with Nichushkin and Brock Nelson at practice — a trio built for grinding shifts and winning battles below the dots.
“I thought he was incredible under those circumstances,” Bednar said, referring to Landeskog’s return from a lengthy absence.
The captain, in classic fashion, downplayed it.
“No issues,” Landeskog said. “The body’s holding up well. We weren’t guessing how I’d feel — we knew.”
His ascent pushes Jonathan Drouin to the third line, where he’ll look to find his game alongside Charlie Coyle and Joel Kiviranta. If he doesn’t, his leash could get even shorter.
2. Power Play Pivots — Enter the Captain
If Colorado had cashed in on one of three late power-play chances in Game 3, this series might look very different. Instead, they came up empty — and uninspired — leading to more changes.
Drouin is off the top unit. Landeskog is in.
And not just anywhere — Landeskog was working on the half-wall opposite MacKinnon, a spot normally reserved for Mikko Rantanen. It’s a bold switch, and one that signals the coaching staff’s desperation to jolt the power play awake.
“We’ve got to create more chaos in front of the net,” Landeskog said. “More shots. More dangerous chances. It’s got to come from everyone.”
In a tight series, special teams can tilt the balance. The Avalanche know it. So does Dallas.
3. The Missing Makar Moment
We’re still waiting.
Cale Makar, one of the game’s most dynamic playoff performers, has yet to truly make his presence felt. He’s had a few flashes — but not the “wow” moment fans are used to, and not the kind that flips a game.
Through Games 1 and 3, he’s fired 14 even-strength shot attempts. Only one has reached the net.
Bednar didn’t sugarcoat it.
“He’s probably struggling a bit on the offensive side,” the coach admitted. “We had guys fumbling pucks the other night — part of why our power play sputtered.”
Still, Bednar is confident the breakthrough is coming.
“He’s had off games before. But I trust him. He defends hard. He’s competitive. And he’ll get better as we go.”
For the Avalanche to even the series, they’ll need more than just effort from Makar — they’ll need impact. Game 4 feels like the moment he needs to ride
What’s Next
Game 4 isn’t do-or-die, technically. But for a Colorado team built to contend, dropping two straight at home would be a gut punch. The Stars have been opportunistic, composed, and clinical. The Avs? Still searching for their best.
Maybe they find it Saturday night.
Because if they don’t, the clock might run out on more than just their seas on
