The Colorado Avalanche played one of their best games in the first half against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, but still ended up short at the end. Colorado fell apart in the second half of the contest, and Dallas took advantage of that in their 5-4 shootout win at Ball Arena. The Avalanche played one of their most physical games of the season, but earned only a point in the loss.
View from the Mountaintop
Gavin Brindley worked his way onto the roster by playing his game in development camp and training camp. So far this season, Brindley has played in every game, becoming a standout on the fourth line in each game. On Saturday, Brindley buried his first NHL goal in just his fourth NHL game by crashing the net and waiting for the pass in front. Victor Olofsson threw a pass to a waiting Brindley, who tapped it in through the five-hole of Jake Oettinger.
FIRST NHL GOAL FOR GAVIN BRINDLEY 🚨 pic.twitter.com/fO6eA2kFqd
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 12, 2025
Brent Burns played his 1,500th career game on Saturday, becoming just the eighth defenseman and the 24th player to achieve that feat. To top off the night, Burns, who was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2003, added his first point as an Avalanche on a third-period power play goal by Nathan MacKinnon. It was his 650th career assist, making him the 14th defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark. The 40-year-old has yet to win a Stanley Cup; one of the reasons that joining the Avalanche was such an enticing option in the offseason.
Brent Burns is still climbing the ladder 🫡
Congrats to the vet on reaching 1,500 career NHL games played! pic.twitter.com/Eb2JVQAX3X— NHLPA (@NHLPA) October 12, 2025
The Avalanche defense struggled to shut down the zone against their rivals from Dallas. All the Stars’ goals came either from the middle of the ice or in front of the net, as their physicality and relentlessness seemed, at times, to overwhelm the Avalanche’s blueliners.
What a shot from Nechy to tie it up 👏 pic.twitter.com/sY1dsEjCxv
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 12, 2025
Up Next
The Avalanche will head onto the road for a matinee game on Monday against the Buffalo Sabres at 10:30 a.m. Altitude Sports will broadcast the game.
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Originally published on Hockey Mountain High, part of the Mile High Sports family of networks.