Avs/Stars Game 6 Grades: ClHutch

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – B

Really solid game from Bellemare, and that line really went to work down low in the third period, killing the puck on the cycle and not giving the Stars any chance to break out. As bad as the Avs were in face-offs in the first, guys like Bellemare turned it around to even it up in the game.

Andre Burakovsky – A

Maybe one of the more complete games he’s played in an Avs uniform. He was tough in the defensive and neutral zone, and helped create offense too. Great work just keeping it in on the third goal to let MacK go to work. Loved seeing him shoot the puck on the Powerplay. He’s the only guy on the second unit who should be doing that.

Ian Cole – B-

Probably the sloppiest of the five healthy Avs D, but he battled hard again. Tough penalty late but he made a good read to stop the puck in the neutral zone and just go tripped up.

J.T. Compher – B-

Even though he didn’t do much offensively, I loved his game defensively. Nice support on the forecheck on the Zadorov goal to force Klingberg back. Great job to cause chaos on the Zadorov goal.

Samuel Girard – A

Is Swaggy Sam back?!? I counted at least 6 spins in the third period alone. Even if they didn’t do a ton, that tells you he’s on his game. Just a really strong overall game from him.

Ryan Graves – B-

Still not great with the puck, but he played almost four minutes more than any other Avs defender at even strength and in a game where the Avs just shut down the Stars the final two periods, that counts for something.

Michael Hutchinson – A

That goal was hideous. Let’s get that out of the way. After that, he settled down, and that’s all you can ask for. Great diving save just before giving up that brutal goal, but he made all the saves he needed to down the stretch, and the Avs helped him out a lot.

Tyson Jost – B+

Massive points for that forecheck on the Zadorov goal. That’s the tenacity you need to see out of him consistently. He didn’t get credited with a point but he did a lot of the dirty work there.

Nazem Kadri – B-

Didn’t notice Kadri a ton, other than some smart plays to carry the puck out of the zone in the third period. The most important thing for him in this game was staying disciplined after the Stars have tried to force him into penalties of late. He didn’t bite on anything.

Gabriel Landeskog – D

Sloppy game from Landy, especially with the puck on his stick. Lots of turnovers. That being said, the Avs will not go much further without him. He carries so much of the load defensively upfront and will be missed. His shift was short-lived and you could see he could not move much. Just have to hope a miracle happens before Friday.

Nathan MacKinnon – B-

The Powerplay was horrifying and MacK didn’t seem to want to shoot the puck for most of the night, but when the team needed him in the third period, he came through. Great work defensively from him, and I feel like I’ve seen that sauce from him a few times this week….

Cale Makar – A+

Forget the Powerplay, what a display defensively from this monster. The play on Seguin at the end of the second, the destruction of Pavelski behind the net for the puck, and breaking up a cross crease pass from the Stars in the third are just a few examples of his defensive dominance in game six. That was a Norris caliber game.

Vladislav Namestnikov – B

The bar was extremely low, but that was easily his best game of the postseason. He forechecked well, and managed to pick up the assist on the Zadorov goal. Loved seeing him eat the puck down low in the third period with his entire team changing.

Valeri Nichushkin – A

That was defensive shutdown master Nichushkin at his best. Great work down low, and a lot of fantastic plays in the defensive zone, including tag-teaming the backcheck with Nieto on MacKinnon’s empty-net goal.

Matt Nieto – A

Nieto’s IQ was on display a lot of this game again. Great backcheck to help MacKinnon’s empty netter, and just smart, simple plays to get the puck out of danger. These are tiny things you need from your fourth-liners to win.

Logan O’Connor – B

O’Connor is carving out a spot on next year’s team at this point, isn’t he? He’s provided a lot of energy, and the staff is showing a lot of faith in him killing penalties too. Another solid game.

Mikko Rantanen – B

How does he keep doing this? He looks blah and then makes a few ridiculous plays a game to pick up more points. The smart tap pass to Makar for the game-winner, and then whacking the puck out of mid-air for that huge third goal. He is racking up points at an absurd rate and you know there’s more there.

Conor Timmins – INC

Very concerned about that injury. The hit looked bad, and with his history, you have to worry. I thought he was sloppy before leaving the game but would rather see him than Connauton in Game 7.

Nikita Zadorov – A+

That was Swaggy Z at his best. The huge goal at the end of the first period aside, he was moving his feet and flying with the puck and made some great plays on the backcheck. Love seeing him run Perry along the boards, and you know the team did too. He’s a presence when he plays like this.