1. Andrew Brunette, Colorado: Assisted on the game-tying goal and scored the game-winner. Came up big in the third period.

2. Peter Forsberg, Colorado: What can you say, he makes plays that matter. His assist to Brunette on the game-winning goal was a huge play.

3. Stephane Robidas, Stars: Helped the Stars create a physical presence and helped shut down Forsberg when the two were on the ice together.

1st: Dallas broke a trend of allowing the first goal in a game – scoring first for the first time in the last five contests. Antti Miettinen popped in a rebound off a Stephane Robidas shot for a power-play goal at the 8:56 mark. Mike Modano drew hooking penalty from Cody McCormick to earn the power play.

Stars 1, Colorado 0

2nd: The hitting increased in the second period, as Miettinen collided with Peter Forsberg and the Colorado defense started to get more aggressive. Colorado forward Cody McLeod created several good scoring chances, and forced Marty Turco to come up big in the crease. Turco also did a solid job stopping a combination from Milan Hejduk and Forsberg and another combination from Ian Laperriere and Paul Stastny.

Stars 1, Colorado 0

3rd: Colorado increased its physicality and its intensity, but the game seemed to turn when Colorado defenseman Jeff Finger ran Stars captain Brenden Morrow into the post between the two benches, and Morrow had to leave the ice for a while. The Stars did nothing with the ensuing power pay earned by Morrow, and the Avalanche scored 24 seconds after the power play was over. Defenseman Scott Hannan backhanded in a rebound on the doorstep to make it 1-1 at the 7:30 mark. Brunette scored on a power-play deflection at the 10:12 mark, and Stastny added an empty-netter.

Colorado 3, Stars 1