NHL · October 13, 2026 · 8:46 PM ET
Colorado Avalanche @ Dallas Stars
Free LineCrush game report for Colorado Avalanche @ Dallas Stars on October 13, 2026, with matchup analysis and pick ideas generated for the daily slate. Reports can update as lineups, injuries, and odds develop, so confirm time-sensitive details before acting.
Matchup Analysis
Dallas is concentrating its offense
Jason Robertson's five-game playoff goal streak and ability to create goals from low-danger situations make him Dallas's clearest offensive driver. The Stars' secondary lines trust their possession process, but the report still points to scoring responsibility being concentrated among elite contributors rather than the checking depth.
Colorado has elevated Nicolas Roy
Colorado's reshaped lineup is giving elevated roles to players beyond its usual stars, and Nicolas Roy filled the top line with Nathan MacKinnon absent from the Oct. 12 practice. Roy has also said he worked on his shot and is attacking the net more, which strengthens his volume outlook in this matchup.
Dallas line deployment favors Johnston and Steel
Wyatt Johnston remained with Sam Steel and Mikko Rantanen in practice, while an analyst expected that trio to receive more minutes than Dallas's other top line. That usage supports elevated opportunities for Johnston and Steel, whereas Tyler Seguin's move to a bottom-six line and Radek Faksa's rotation with Hyry reinforce the gap between Dallas's featured units and its depth.
Colorado's urgency can create special-teams volatility
Colorado has emphasized urgency, net-front pressure, and expanded power-play responsibilities, but its own reports also acknowledge discipline problems from overaggressive play. T.J. Hughes remains on the top power-play unit and ranks highly in individual scoring chances per 60, while the Avalanche's improved special-teams roles make shot volume and penalty-driven scoring more relevant than a simple even-strength read.
Colorado's blue line is shorthanded
Colorado will be without a major blue-line contributor for the birth of twins, with Noah Juulsen slotting into the lineup. The team report also describes its defensive depth as conservative, with heavy reliance on core defenders and limited usage for its emergency depth option.
SourcePick Ideas
Nicolas Roy over shots on goal
Roy's top-line elevation with MacKinnon absent gives him a larger offensive role, and he has specifically said he worked on his shot and is attacking the net more. Colorado's broader shift toward elevated secondary roles and net-front pressure supports backing his shot volume rather than relying solely on a point prop.
Wyatt Johnston to record a point
Johnston has remained centered between Steel and Rantanen, with an analyst expecting that line to receive more minutes than Dallas's other top unit. Dallas is leaning on its featured contributors while its depth lines remain more role-specific, giving Johnston a favorable opportunity to participate offensively.
Sam Steel to record a point
Steel's continued placement with Johnston and Rantanen keeps him in Dallas's unchanged top-six structure, and the line is expected to receive heavier usage than the other top line. That deployment is more actionable than Dallas's weaker depth-scoring outlook because the Stars are concentrating offensive responsibility in their upper units.
Radek Faksa to record no point
Faksa was hit by a shot and did not return on Oct. 10, then returned to practice but rotated with Hyry in the bottom six. His established checking-line role and Dallas's limited offensive mandate for depth players support the points-under angle even with the positive practice update.
Tyler Seguin to record no point
Seguin practiced on a bottom-six line with Bäck and Hryckowian while Dallas's top six remained unchanged. His earlier brief look with Johnston and Rantanen did not carry into the latest deployment, and the Stars' current scoring concentration makes a points-under angle reasonable.
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