Kiviranta plays role of hero as Stars eliminate Avs

[September 05, 2020]  Joel Kiviranta scored the Game 7 overtime winner to compete his hat trick and the Dallas Stars claimed a 5-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Edmonton to advance to the Western Conference final for the first time since 2008.

Kiviranta -- a rookie who was in the lineup because Andrew Cogliano was unable to play -- netted his third of the game at 7:24 of the extra period when he one-timed a shot from the slot to end a wild affair.

Anton Khudobin, the Dallas backup goalie who was pressed into action because starter Ben Bishop was hurt, made 40 saves in the win.

It is the second consecutive season the Avalanche have been knocked out of the Stanley Cup playoffs via Game 7 in the second round. They were upended by the San Jose Sharks last season.

Needing a quick start after seeing their 3-1 series lead disappear, the Stars received an early boost when Alexander Radulov opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 159 seconds into the clash. But Avalanche stormed back to take the lead before the midway point of the opening frame.

Colorado's Vladislav Namestnikov tied the game 69 seconds later when he deflected Ian Cole's point shot. Then, Andre Burakovsky, who was moved to the top line with captain Gabriel Landeskog out of action due to injury, intercepted Jamie Oleksiak's clearing attempt before he ripped a top-corner shot at 9:43. Burakovsky has now scored nine goals in 13 games when facing elimination and four times in Game 7 clashes.

That was just the beginning of the back-and-forth. Kiviranta tied the score by deflecting a shot from the point at 3:06 of the second period, but Nazem Kadri restored Colorado's lead at 3-2 with a power-play goal on a rebound tally at 5:45 of the frame.

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Michael Hutchinson (35) and right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) and defenseman Samuel Girard (49) and Dallas Stars center Radek Faksa (12) look for the puck rebound during the first period in game seven of the second round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Radulov evened the score again with another power-play goal as he deflected John Klingberg's point shot at 11:28 of the third period. That was only to see Namestnikov reply with another rebound goal with 3:40 left on the clock.

Kiviranta's heroic day continued when he scored his second goal of the game 10 seconds later to force overtime. During a scramble, Kiviranta pounced on a loose puck and ripped the shot off the far post and into the cage.

Michael Hutchinson, Colorado's third-string goalie, made 30 saves.

On top of being without Landeskog, the Avalanche were also without their top two goalies in Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz, defensemen Erik Johnson and Conor Timmins and a pair of forwards in Joonas Donskoi and Matt Calvert.

--Field Level Media

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.