All I want is overtime. The Avalanche will be obviously desperate down 3-1. I'm assuming one of their key guys will not be suspended for six months as the puck is about to drop tonight as happened in Game 4 to Valeri Nichushkin. Hadn't heard of that before. But blueliner Devon Toews is back after missing that injured. Never would have played Colorado ML in Game 4 had I known those two were out. The big reason I'm gonna try this, though, is Dallas will be without Roope Hintz (30G, 35A in RS). Hintz has two goals and six points in nine playoff contests. I deserve this after the Rangers' third-period fiasco the other night.

Close-out games in the Stanley Cup playoffs sometimes look like what happened to Tampa Bay in Game 5 at Florida, when the Lightning got desperate in the final minutes trying to make up a multi-goal deficit, and the scoreline kept expanding. Colorado looks a candidate for the same tonight as we hardly see the Avs becoming involved in any defensive stalemate after numerous breakdowns in the playoffs in front of Alexander Georgiev. Though muffled in Games 3 and 4 at home and minus key cog Valeri Nuchushkin, Colorado however still retains Nathan MacKinnon and loads of firepower, and with the Stars executing as well as they have in this series, there are lots of ways this game can clear 6.5 goals. Play Avs-Stars "Over"

True, we didn't see Boston lay down in Game 5 last night at Florida, digging in deep to keep the series alive. Assuming the same for the Avs tonight in Big D, however, might be a bit of a stretch, after that absolute collapse over both Games 3 and 4 at home for Colorado that has put it on the brink of elimination. The Nichushkin suspension compounded matters prior to Monday's 5-1 loss and underlines the plight of the Avs, who have also leaked too much on defense in this series, exposed by the Stars' clinical execution. The margin also risks expanding late if Colorado is trailing and Jared Bednar pulls Alexander Georgiev much sooner than he normally might. Play Stars on Puck Line