I don't have a solution for how you beat voodoo magic.

Avs lose to the Dallas stars, 2 to 1 in the shootout.

The abs played great in this game for the majority of facets of it.

They held Dallas to just 14 shots in regulation compared to their own 31.

They dominated the puck.

They played for the most part great defense.

Their goaltending was solid. they even won the special teams battle.

At 5 on 5, frankly, this game wasn't even that competitive.

Except for one thing, the abs just couldn't score.

And that's a hard pill to swallow, because no one has scored more goals on a rate basis than the abs this season, particularly at 5 on 5.

And yet the abs didn't score a single goal at 5 on five. It wasn't for a lack of chances, the abs generated plenty of those. It really wasn't because of the goaltender, not that Ander didn't play great in this game, but Jake is just not having a particularly special season as a goaltender this year. And it isn't even really that they're facing Dallas. In their previous two meetings, the aves were able to put up four goals. For whatever reason,

when the abs needed a goal in this one, it just wouldn't go in. I don't really know that I even

have a lot to say about this one, because if the abs play this way against Dallas for seven straight games,

they're going to win six of them. But then you look at this,

and for whatever reason, the abs just can't seem to beat Dallas very often in these types of games.

Dallas doesn't necessarily play better than Colorado, but they do the thing that wins them the game.

I just cannot be mad at the avalanche effort in this game, but they just have to find a way to win against this team, and they seemingly cannot.

In all three periods of regulation, the abs outshot Dallas by at least double.

And if you're looking for silver linings, there are definitely a lot.

Not just the things that I already mentioned, but the abs do score a power play goal late in the first period.

Aves on the power play set up mostly in their normal perimeter situation. McKinnon coming up to play that half wall spot at the moment as Natchez moves in front. But you see good movement off of Kail McCar here. He dishes this off to McKinnon. McKinnon moves out even higher than the half wall, so Natchez slides over as Cadry comes into the net front spot.

McCar, you're stretching the defense here. This is decent stuff. Good footwork. You even have McKinnon encroaching on the defense. Really, really good stuff from the abs. That gets it to

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