Avs Defeat Dallas in OT as Preseason Rolls On
MacKinnon and Rantanen make 2023-23 debuts alongside Drouin
Two points is two points. Doesn’t matter that the Avs blew a 3-1 third-period lead. What matters is that they came back for the overtime win against a division rival to get the second point in standings.
Wait… it’s the preseason and there are no points.
Regardless of the game’s actual worth in the hockey universe, it was a pretty exciting game Sunday evening that saw Colorado take down Dallas, 4-3, in overtime at Ball Arena.
The presumed top-two teams in the Central Division played a fun brand of hockey, despite a majority of the regulars not suiting up for either team. It was a well-played game in a battle of depth players trying their best to impress the coaches and management of their respective teams in an effort to secure roster spots or be the first call-ups.
Early in the preseason, games tend to be sloppier as players get back into rhythm or young skaters make their debuts wearing the big team’s sweater. Sunday’s tilt between the Avs and the Stars was much more crisp than we’ve seen already this year. For Colorado, a lot of that came from the 2023-24 debuts of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The Avs’ two superstar forwards played together on a line with the newly acquired Jonathan Drouin and the trio looked sharp.
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