Matt Duchene's Revenge Game Thrills NHL Fans as Stars Eliminate MacKinnon, Avalanche
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVMay 18, 2024
The Dallas Stars are back in the Western Conference Finals thanks to Matt Duchene's double-overtime goal to beat the Colorado Avalanche.
Dallas captain Jamie Benn tied things up at one goal apiece in the third period and the two teams were unable to break the deadlock in the first overtime period. With 8:18 on the clock in the second OT, Duchene was in the right place at the right time to deliver a dagger into the heart of his old team.
As long as you're not an Avs fan, you couldn't have scripted it any better.
Duchene spent eight and a half seasons in Colorado and requested a trade in part because he "wanted to play playoff hockey." There was plenty of schadenfreude when the Avalanche went on to lift the Stanley Cup in 2021-22, but the 33-year-old got a level of revenge Friday night.
z - JAWDiN @teejaaymcDALLAS STARS ADVANCE TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS!!<br><br>GOD BLESS MATT DUCHENE!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasHockey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasHockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCupPlayoffs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCupPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mg618A9bwK">pic.twitter.com/Mg618A9bwK</a>
It was also a fitting end because Mason Marchment had a winning goal waved off in overtime due to a controversial interference call on Duchene.
Jeff Kolb @JeffKolbFOX4Mason Marchment on the explanation he got about the no-goal call with Matt Duchene: "That Duchy's ass was over the line. His feet were outside, but his ass was over the line… then he got pushed in… think honestly they didn't want to make it a deciding goal."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasHockey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasHockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX4</a> <a href="https://t.co/oWBW7qYeob">pic.twitter.com/oWBW7qYeob</a>
Brien Rea @BrienReaNo goal. Wow. <br><br>The NHL will need to have a major discussion regarding goaltender interference. Players are entitled to the white ice. Matt Duchene obeyed that and it was the bump from Makar to connected him into Georgiev. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasHockey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasHockey</a>
The Stars await either the Vancouver Canucks or Edmonton Oilers in the conference finals. Vancouver is up 3-2 in the series heading into Saturday's Game 6.
Dallas won the season series against both teams and finished with more points. The team and its fans will like its odds of returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2020.
