Summary
- The clubs begin their first of four regular-season meetings.
- Dallas enters at 2-2-1 and Colorado at 3-2-0.
- Dallas says Matt Duchene is expected to miss about three months.
The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche were preparing to open a two-night series on October 13, bringing an early test between Central Division rivals to American Airlines Center. Dallas’s official game guide scheduled the opening meeting for 7:30 p.m. Central time on ESPN. Mile High Hockey’s preview likewise described it as the first game of a home-and-home set, with the return meeting in Colorado the following night. [2]
Early-season positions
Dallas entered the matchup at 2-2-1, while Colorado was 3-2-0, according to both previews. The Stars had most recently lost 2-1 in a shootout at Pittsburgh. Colorado arrived after a home defeat against Toronto. Those results framed the two-game sequence as an opportunity for each club to respond to a disappointing outing, rather than a measure of its eventual season finish. [2]
Mile High Hockey emphasized Dallas’s difficulty scoring in its defeats: the Stars had managed one goal or fewer in each of their three losses. The same preview highlighted Jake Oettinger’s strong opening performances in goal. On the Colorado side, it identified defensive lapses and goaltending as areas under scrutiny after the Toronto game. That assessment was the outlet’s pregame analysis. [2]
Familiar players and injury changes
The Stars’ guide identified Nathan MacKinnon and Tyler Seguin among the players to watch, and discussed Mikko Rantanen’s familiarity with his former Colorado teammates. Dallas said the four-game season series would continue in Denver on October 14, then resume with meetings in Dallas on January 22 and Colorado on January 24. The immediate turnaround makes the opening pair a concentrated part of that schedule. [1]
Dallas also reported that Matt Duchene had undergone surgery for a core injury and was expected to miss approximately three months. He had not played this season, according to the team. The guide said Joel Kiviranta and Radek Faksa had practiced Monday and could be available Tuesday. Those were availability updates issued before the game, and the previews did not establish its final lineup or result. [1]