The Dallas Stars know what (and who) they are up against. They will play the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They whimpered into the playoffs, ending the regular season with a four-game losing streak.

The Dallas Stars have a long history of beating up on the Colorado Avalanche when it matters most, and that’s true whether you’re talking about back-to-back seven-game Western Conference Finals in the Stanley Cup days or as recently as the Edmonton bubble playoffs or even last year’s second round.