April 22, 2025, 06:46 am et
DALLAS – Colin Blackwell wanted another crack in the playoffs when he signed with the Dallas Stars in free agency last summer. This was his sixth team in seven NHL seasons, and he was only one postseason.
After becoming a healthy scratch for the Stars playoff opener, he scored a shot and changed the trajectory of the first-round series against Colorado with an overtime goal that earned a 4-3 victory in Game 2 on Monday night.
“I’ve always felt my game was built for the playoffs and what was along those lines. I love to stand up and play at moments like this,” Blackwell said. “It was a big win for us. If we go down 2-0 to Colorado, I think it’s a different series. That’s why you’re as good as your next win or your next shift.”
Blackwell’s only previous playoff experience was a seven-game series against Toronto in a first-round defeat to Tampa Bay three years ago.
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Star coach Pete DeBoer spoke with Blackwell on Saturday when he didn’t play Game 1.
“[I] I said you’re ready, you’re not going to go out for too long,” Deboer said. After losing Game 1, I thought I needed a little energy. He’s a competitive player and I thought he was effective all night. But it’s also great to see such a guy score goals, put out Game 1, work with the Black Ace, then join and take part in playoff hockey. ”
Blackwell won 17:46 in overtime after his first shot bouncing off teammate Sam Steele and AVS defensive man Samuel Girard in front of the net. However, as the puck loosened over the ice, the front of the fourth line swirled around, knocking it in for the winner.
Blackwell, 32, a Harvard alumnus who played for Chicago the past two seasons, said he often had to go in and out of the lineup, and has been mentally keen for years and has learned to continue working hard on the ice. In his first season in Dallas, he had 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 63 regular season games.
“It’s been a long season, and it’s not just playing the first game, it’s something like that, and I was in and out of the lineup towards the end here,” he said. “I’m not really worried about making mistakes. I just go out there and play hockey and good things happen.”
And they certainly did it for the stars. They were at risk of dropping their first two games at home in the first round for the second year in a row before his winning shot. Game 3 is Wednesday night in Denver.
“Colin is one of those guys, especially since I’m out, you can see how hard he works every day,” said Tyler Seguin, who missed four months after hip surgery before returning last week. “You can see how he is in the gym. You can see how good he is. There’s a lot you can see with some of these guys coming and going in the lineup. You’re proud of what he did with guys like him.”
