Dallas Stars flex their muscles in the 5-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche

The Dallas Stars looked to end their road trip with a massive win against the Colorado Avalanche. It always gets a bit frisky when these two teams play each other. The Avalanche were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season by the Stars after Rantanen scored a hat trick in the final period of game 7. It seemed like the Avalanche fans remembered that when they started booing Rantanen every time he touched the puck tonight.

Even though the Stars got off to a slow start in the first period, I'm proud of how the Stars stayed calm and didn't get flustered. They will be featured in some of those games as the season progresses. You have to be patient and play the game as it comes to you. The Stars will be coming home and taking on the dreaded Minnesota Wild to open up their home portion of their schedule. Here are the four takeaways from tonight's win against the Avalanche.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 4. Weathered the first period

The Stars did a good job staying calm and not getting worried about not getting many good shot chances on net. Sometimes that comes with patience over the course of the season. Not every team is going to allow you to have all the time in the world to set the play up how you want. Harls in Charge hammered one from Deep Elum to give the Stars a 1-0 lead going into the second period. Sometimes patience is rewarded with goals that open up the floodgates.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 3. Did a good job of shutting down MacKinnon and Makar

I thought the Stars did a good job of shutting down Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon tonight. Those two NHL Stars were mentioned in the pregame article and released before the game. If the Stars wanted a chance at earning another two points on the road, those two had to be contained to secure the victory. Unfortunately MacKinnon did get a goal in the third period but was shut down the rest of the game. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley did a good job of that, and the Stars are headed home with two points against the Avalanche.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 2. Nils Lundkvist breakout season?

I did not have Nils Lundkvist with 3 points in two games to begin the season. This might be the start of a massive season for him and might require some cash to re-sign him this offseason. I'm not trying to get ahead of myself here, but Nils has been all over the ice in the first two games of the season, generating offense for the Stars. He was the player who moved the puck down the ice for the Harley goal at the end of the first period tonight. Expect more from the young Nils as the season moves along.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche: 1. Ritzy deserves to be on the team

Justin Hryckowian deserves a spot on this team rather than being sent back to the minors. He brings the tenacity that this team lacked last season. A good example of that would be when Ross Colton boarded Miro Heiskanen in the second period and should have been sent off for boarding. Hryckowian came in, tackled Colton to the ice, and gave him a couple of good punches to the face. That's the kind of player the Stars need in their lineup for the next 80 games of this season. The Stars return home to take on the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.