The Dallas Stars visit the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MDT (8:30 p.m. ET), with both teams completing the second half of a back-to-back.
Game Details
- Matchup: Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche
- Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Time: 6:30 p.m. MDT
- Venue: Ball Arena, Denver
- Status: Scheduled
The date and start time appear on the Avalanche broadcast schedule, while the game remains listed on the team’s NHL schedule.
Neither club has a rest advantage. Both are scheduled to play October 13 before meeting in Denver, making fatigue and lineup management important variables. Dallas also faces an estimated 662-mile trip and a one-time-zone change, according to DeepMetric Analytics. That is not an extreme NHL travel spot, but it could matter late in a close game.
Matchup Breakdown
Colorado enters with the better five-game record at 3-2-0, compared with Dallas at 2-2-1. The Avalanche’s recent results include victories over Calgary and St. Louis, while the Stars’ stretch includes a shutout of San Jose and a tight loss to Pittsburgh.
The underlying offensive numbers also favor Colorado. DeepMetric lists the Avalanche at 3.56 expected goals for and 2.26 expected goals against, while Dallas is at 2.69 and 2.24, respectively. Those figures suggest comparable defensive profiles but a more productive Colorado attack.
Special teams reinforce that distinction. PuckBank’s matchup data lists Colorado’s power play at 22.2% and Dallas’ at 7.7%. The Stars have compensated with an 88.2% penalty kill, better than Colorado’s 85.7% mark. Dallas therefore has a plausible path to neutralizing the Avalanche’s power play, but its own man-advantage unit has offered limited production.
The back-to-back creates the possibility of a slower game, especially in the final period. Colorado’s home setting and stronger offensive indicators provide an edge, but Dallas’ penalty killing and goaltending could keep the margin narrow.
Goalies and Injury Watch
No starting goaltender has been confirmed. Daily Faceoff’s goalie page projects Jake Oettinger as a possibility for Dallas, with either Mackenzie Blackwood or Scott Wedgewood in consideration for Colorado. All three designations remain unconfirmed and could change after the October 13 games.
Oettinger’s reported early form is the most significant reason to hesitate before backing Colorado. He has a .963 save percentage, a 0.74 goals-against average and two shutouts through four starts. Colorado’s listed options have not matched those results: Wedgewood is at a .897 save percentage and 3.00 GAA, while Blackwood is at .867 and 3.30.
The small sample and uncertain starter limit how much weight those statistics should carry. If Oettinger rests on the second night of the back-to-back, the matchup changes materially.
Colorado’s listed injury concerns include Georgii Merkulov on injured reserve with an undisclosed issue and Logan O’Connor day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Dallas has Matt Duchene on long-term injured reserve, while Harrison Scott, Cameron Hughes and Joel Kiviranta are also listed as unavailable. Kiviranta’s lower-body injury was expected to keep him out for at least a week.
Odds and Betting Considerations
At the most recent check cited in the supplied research, the Covers odds board listed Dallas at -104 and the total at 6.0. The research did not provide an exact timestamp, an originating sportsbook or prices for both sides of the total, so those numbers should be treated as a market snapshot rather than a complete betting menu.
Dallas at -104 reflects a matchup viewed as close, which is reasonable given the contrast between Colorado’s offensive advantage and Oettinger’s form. The total of six also fits the situational picture: both teams are on short rest, Dallas owns a strong penalty kill, and its power play has struggled. However, the lack of confirmed goalies makes a pregame total position difficult to justify without updated pricing.
Prediction
Prediction: Avalanche 3, Stars 2.
Colorado is the narrow pick because it has home ice, the better recent record, a substantial expected-goals advantage and the more effective power play. With both teams playing on zero rest, avoiding Dallas’ additional travel is another modest benefit for the Avalanche.
The main uncertainty is Oettinger. If he starts and maintains anything close to his early form, Dallas can erase Colorado’s offensive edge and turn this into a goaltending-driven road win. Until the starters are confirmed, Colorado is the preferred side only by a small margin, with a one-goal game the most plausible outcome.
