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    Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche Championed By NHL Fans for Comeback OT Win vs. Stars

    Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVMay 8, 2024

    DALLAS, TEXAS - MAY 07: Miles Wood #28 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning goal during overtime against the Dallas Stars in Game One of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 07, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
    Sam Hodde/Getty Images

    Now that's how you start a playoff series.

    The Colorado Avalanche erased a 3-0 deficit in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Tuesday night, beating the Dallas Stars after Miles Wood scored the game-winner in overtime.

    B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce

    MILES WOOD COMPLETES THE AVS COMEBACK 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/pWaukWdVnt">pic.twitter.com/pWaukWdVnt</a>

    Turns out the 2021-22 champions still have that never-say-die resilience.

    It looked like the Stars were going to absolutely cruise in this one after Ryan Suter, Wyatt Johnston and Jamie Benn scored in the first period, opening up a 3-0 lead.

    NHL @NHL

    WYATT JOHNSTON... AGAIN 🤩 <br><br>This kid is something else. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <br><br>🇺🇸: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W">https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1">https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1</a> <a href="https://t.co/YLPxx4Oyq0">pic.twitter.com/YLPxx4Oyq0</a>

    z - Dallas Stars @DallasStars

    Bing bong! <a href="https://t.co/qQq7gc2iRO">pic.twitter.com/qQq7gc2iRO</a>

    But Valeri Nichushkin and Cale Makar countered in the second period with goals of their own, Nathan MacKinnon evened the contest early in the third and Wood provided the heroics in extra time.

    NHL @NHL

    AVS TIE IT, AVS TIE IT 🏔️ <br><br>This game is NOT over yet! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <br><br>🇺🇸: <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W">https://t.co/Pp9X7OGP3W</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1">https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1</a> <a href="https://t.co/A4IDNxfgFu">pic.twitter.com/A4IDNxfgFu</a>

    The comeback and Wood's goal had fans and pundits alike absolutely buzzing after the game:

    Adrian Hernandez @AdoHernandez27

    Avs showed some serious guts tonight! What a comeback victory! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/fAfQd9JV2m">pic.twitter.com/fAfQd9JV2m</a>

    BucciOT.Com @Buccigross

    We reported over eight years ago that Miles Wood was a wagon <a href="https://t.co/myElmqyWk9">https://t.co/myElmqyWk9</a>

    Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche Championed By NHL Fans for Comeback OT Win vs. Stars
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    April 🌷 〽️ @A_Town_Denver

    Miles Wood with some speed man and what a pass from Cogs and a beautiful goal from Wood. 🔥 <br><br>Stars had all the momentum in OT and Avs pull it out. <br><br>Great comeback in this one!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://t.co/3qBZ13myvd">pic.twitter.com/3qBZ13myvd</a>

    Rod Mackey @RodMackeySports

    What's better than playoff hockey??? The Avs winning in playoff hockey!!!

    Evan Rawal @evanrawal

    That's the third time this season the Avs have come from behind to beat Dallas in their own barn. <a href="https://t.co/bBffqoq5aj">https://t.co/bBffqoq5aj</a>

    Arielle Orsuto @ArielleOrsuto

    Miles Wood may have ended it for the Avs, but Georgie was absolutely the hero of overtime. Bailed them out time and time again. Absolute unit.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoAvsGo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9sports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9sports</a>

    Romi Bean @Romi_Bean

    Alexander Georgiev stood on his head in OT. I swear they spent the first 7 minutes of OT in the Avs zone 😅 Georgie saves the day!

    Avalanche Forever @citchmook

    Miles Wood. Overtime winner. What a comeback victory.

    Alexandar Georgiev added 22 saves for the Avs in the win.

    It was quite the night for hockey fans in general, as the night's only other game—a New York Rangers' 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes—also went to overtime. It wasn't until the second period of extra time that Vincent Trocheck ended the game on the power play, giving the Rangers a 2-0 advantage in the series.

    The Avs only went up 1-0 in this series, but did so on the road, stealing the home-ice advantage in the process.

    The old cliché goes that a playoff series doesn't truly begin until a team wins on the road. Well, consider this series underway, and in earnest. It's hard to imagine a more dramatic way to get it started.