'We're up for the challenge': Avalanche confidence high ahead of 2nd round matchup with Stars

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Next up for the Colorado Avalanche is the Dallas Stars and the team is ready for the challenge. Although starting the series on the road may seem like a disadvantage, Nathan MacKinnon said otherwise.

“This is our livelihood and we love to play, compete. So it’s exciting to start on the road. I think we all really enjoy being together before a series,” MacKinnon said after practice on Monday. “A lot of quality time we spend together and yeah, it’s gonna be fun for sure.”

While head coach Jared Bednar said the team has been studying the Stars over the last week, it dove deeper on Sunday night after Dallas’ victory. Defenseman Sean Walker said the team will view video and discuss analytics to prepare ahead of Game 1.

“Obviously we’ll have team meetings and stuff, go over all their statistics and all their tendencies,” Walker said. “But you know, played them a couple of times throughout the year — know they’re a deep team. They got good forwards, good D (defense) that like to skate, join the rush and are really solid in the D zone as well. So it’ll be a good matchup, but I think we’re up for the challenge.”

Dallas only has a day of rest between its Game 7 win and Game 1 in Round 2 — which could be good or bad for Colorado. No matter what condition the Stars are in, the Avs said they are prepared for a tough series.

“I don’t think we should expect anything but their best, their best hardest game. We’re prepared to work our butts off and compete and we expect a very, very, very hard series. We’re confident in ourselves, we feel like we have a deep team and we get the job done,” MacKinnon said.

Bednar said his team is geared up for a hard battle but have no assumptions for the Stars — as it is the next level up in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and will be high intensity.

“That’s a hand they were dealt, we were dealt our hand. I think as a coach, as a player, as a team, you do everything you can to be prepared and ready to go for Game 1,” Bednar said.

Zach Parise has been in the Stanley Cup Playoffs several times in his long career and once to the Finals (2012 vs Los Angeles Kings), but said he is excited for this time of year and to be a part of it again with a new team.

“I think you learn how hard it is to get there. And then how hard, you know once you’re there, and you lose, how hard it is to get back,” Parise said. “Sometimes you assume ‘we’ll get back, you’ll get back’ and you blink your eyes and you haven’t even gotten a sniff, you know. So I think it leaves you hungry, it leaves you excited to get back.”

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