The Colorado Avalanche are set to face the Dallas Stars in a crucial Game 6 on Thursday at Ball Arena in Denver, with the series standing at 3-2 in favor of the Stars. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and is a must-win for the Avalanche if they hope to force a Game 7 in Dallas.

The series has been characterized by lopsided scoring despite close play between the two teams. In Game 5, the Stars defeated the Avs 6-2 after a quick start with a goal just 9 seconds into the game. The Avalanche are now looking to rebound in Denver and extend the series.

Key players for the Avalanche include Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the team with 7 points in the playoffs, and Logan O'Connor, who has maintained a point per game. A significant boost for the team has been the return of captain Gabriel Landeskog, who scored his first goal since June 20, 2022, in Game 4.

Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has played the most minutes among goalies in the playoffs, closely followed by the Stars' Jake Oettinger. In Game 4, backup goalie Casey DeSmith briefly replaced Oettinger before the Avalanche secured a shutout victory.

For the Avalanche to succeed in Game 6, they will need increased contributions from other top players such as defenseman Cale Makar and winger Valeri Nichushkin, who have been relatively quiet in the series thus far.