Josh Manson scores game-winning goal as Avalanche defeat division-leading Dallas Stars 4-1

DENVER — Josh Manson has made a career out of playing quiet hockey. The type of game you’d expect from a shutdown defenseman — someone who’s not too flashy in the offensive zone but doesn’t make glaring mistakes in his own end.

Saturday’s 4-1 Avalanche victory over the Dallas Stars was anything but that from Manson. The 31-year-old scored a goal in the first period, assisted on another later in the third, took three minor penalties in the second and was caught up in what seemed like a mini rivalry with Stars forward Mason Marchment all night.

“I think you could say coincidence, but it’s it’s more than that,” Manson said, referring to his back and forth with Marchment.

Two of Manson’s minors were against Marchment. And they came just seven minutes apart. And his third penalty, a tripping call against Radek Faksa, happened moments after Manson took a high stick to the face from Marchment, which, to the displeasure of the Ball Arena crowd, went uncalled.

“I felt like I was doing okay things, just winded up in the penalty box,” Manson said. “Parading to the penalty box. I’m just happy to get through it and finish the game well.”

The Avs killed two of those three penalties, surrendering one power-play tally. But they benefited immensely from Manson’s goal, which made it 2-0 right before Dallas went on a 27-10 shot run and nearly clawed back into the game had it not been for an exceptional 41-save effort from Alexandar Georgiev in goal.

Manson’s goal gave the Avalanche a much-needed multi-goal lead when they needed it, and ended up standing as the game-winning goal.

Avs coach Bednar credited Manson for having a great night outside of his penalties.

“He was up in the play a few times, had a goal and an assist,” he said. “Had a couple other chances, defended hard, did a nice job on the penalty kill when he wasn’t in the penalty box.”

It was right place right time for Manson’s second goal of the season. Superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon put the shot on goal with linemate Mikko Rantanen in front battling for positioning. The puck trickled to the far post where Manson was able to tap it into the open net.

Colorado took five penalties in the second period and had just one power play through 40 minutes. The first call of the evening was against the Stars just 37 seconds in, and the Avs capitalized quickly thanks to an unassisted wrist shot from superstar Nathan MacKinnon.

The Avs used MacKinnon and Manson’s goals to take a 2-0 lead into the second period.

Dallas managed just one goal from Joe Pavelski despite a 20-10 shot advantage. The Stars also surrendered a goal to Dryden Hunt, who finished a hard-working play with linemates Alex Newhook and Martin Kaut. Hunt’s first tally since Colorado picked him up off waivers made it 3-1.

And in the third period, Colorado quickly put a final stamp on a crucial regulation victory against a divisional foe thanks to Andrew Cogliano’s third of the season.

The Avs improved to 8-2 in their last 10, beating the Central Division leading Stars for the second time in as many games. And they’re doing it all despite the injuries that continue to ravage the lineup.

“With all that talent out of the lineup, it’s not as clean as you want it to be,” Bednar said. “It’s not maybe used to what we were watching last year but there’s still a high compete level a high commitment level.”