DALLAS (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche had gone a full week since wrapping up their first-round series, and were down three goals in the first period on the road against the top seed.
But once league MVP finalist Nathan MacKinnon and the Avs started getting back into the flow of things Tuesday night, the Dallas Stars seemed to suddenly get hit by the fatigue from closing out their tough opening Western Conference series with a Game 7 win just two nights earlier.
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DALLAS (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche had gone a full week since wrapping up their first-round series, and were down three goals in the first period on the road against the top seed.
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz kneels on the ice after being issued a penalty for embelishment in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, center standing, Brandon Duhaime (12) and Chris Wagner (14) watch play in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche's Andrew Cogliano (11), Nathan MacKinnon (29), Ross Colton (20), Mikko Rantanen (96), Casey Mittelstadt and Miles Wood, center rear, celebrate after Wood scored in overtime in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates in front of right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) and Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) after scoring a goal in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
"Was definitely tough taking a week off. Took us a bit but once we found our legs, I thought we had a great second, great third,” said MacKinnon, who tied the game at 3-3 in the opening minute of the third period.
"At the end of the day, it’s playoff hockey, and there is just no quit," said defenseman Cale Makar, who had a goal and two assists. "If you are going to look at this game I feel like, as a group, we just stuck with it and grinded it out and found a way to win it.”
Colorado had its first three-goal comeback in a playoff game since 1997. Miles Wood scored with a hard charge and a backhander 11:03 into overtime for a 4-3 win Tuesday night.
“It took us a little while to get to our game tonight," Avs coach Jared Bednar said. "They capitalized on their chances in the first period.”
Dallas had nine shots on goal in the first period, and came just inches short of a fourth goal. But the Stars had just seven more shots the rest of regulation before being denied six times by Alexander Georgiev in overtime before former Dallas player Andrew Cogliano got a puck out of a scrum in the corner and chipped ahead to Wood, who was screaming for the puck.
The Avalanche, the 2022 Stanley Cup champion, finished their first series in five games over Winnipeg.
Meanwhile, the Stars had to go the distance before eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights, last year's champions. They won 2-1 in Game 7 at home on Sunday night.
“I knew that there would be some fatigue and a little bit of an emotional letdown coming off Game 7. I was actually surprised at how sharp we were to start, but it did hit us in the middle part of that game,” Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said. “And you also knew that they might be a little rusty at the start. But as they got comfortable, they would get better because they’ve been off for a week. So I think that’s probably what you saw.”
Colorado had three comeback wins against the Jets in the first round, but none of those were from more than one-goal deficits.
But this wasn’t the first time this season for the Avalanche to come back from a 3-0 deficit in Dallas. They were down that early in the second period back in November before scoring six unanswered goals in a 6-3 win.
The Avs were 3-1 in the regular season against Dallas. They came back in all of them, from two goals down in a 5-4 overtime win and giving up the first goal to a 5-1 win in the other.
MacKinnon said it was easy to draw comparisons from those comebacks.
“I think against Dallas and then all playoffs we’ve been pretty good from down a few. Tonight was no different,” he said. “It didn’t feel like they were dominating us. They had a seeing-eye shot. One went off our defensman’s stick. ... But definitely, you felt like we were in it even though it was 3-0.”
And now they are up 1-0 in the series.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger gloves a shot from the Colorado Avalanche in overtime of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz kneels on the ice after being issued a penalty for embelishment in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, center standing, Brandon Duhaime (12) and Chris Wagner (14) watch play in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche's Andrew Cogliano (11), Nathan MacKinnon (29), Ross Colton (20), Mikko Rantanen (96), Casey Mittelstadt and Miles Wood, center rear, celebrate after Wood scored in overtime in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates in front of right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) and Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) after scoring a goal in the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
ROME (AP) — The Italian Open was where it all began for Alexander Zverev with his first Masters Series title seven years ago.
On Sunday, another Rome trophy signaled a career revival.
Zverev put on a serving clinic to beat 24th-ranked Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-5 and earn his biggest trophy since tearing his ankle apart two years ago.
“The last two years have been extremely difficult,” Zverev said during the trophy ceremony. “I didn’t know whether I was ever going to be on this stage — regardless of winning or losing — so this moment is extremely special.”
It was Zverev’s third final in Rome. He won in 2017 by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets then lost to Rafael Nadal in the title match a year later.
"Rome is a very special place for me,” Zverev said.
Zverev opened the match with three straight aces and won 20 of his 21 service points in the first set. The German didn't drop a point on his first serve until late in the second set when the 6-foot-7 (2.01 meter) Jarry ran down a well-placed drop shot and replied with a cross-court winner.
In all, Zverev won 44 of his 49 service points — helped by getting in 95% of his first serves.
“His service, apart from being very good, is very different from all the other servers. He takes the ball very high, so the bounce is very special,” Jarry said. “It took me time to get the trajectory of it.”
It’s been a long road of recovery for the fifth-ranked Zverev after tearing three ligaments in his right ankle during the 2022 French Open semifinals against Rafael Nadal.
When Zverev broke Jarry to convert his fourth match point, he dropped to his knees on the red clay court, leaned back and let out a scream.
This year’s French Open starts next Sunday and now Zverev has established himself among the favorites again — especially with top-ranked Djokovic and 14-time Roland Garros champion Nadal both struggling lately. Djokovic and Nadal were eliminated in the second and third rounds, respectively, in Rome.
There are also injury concerns for second-ranked Jannik Sinner (hip) and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz (right forearm) — who both withdrew from Rome.
“The focus is on Paris," Zverev said. "But let me enjoy this one for a day or so, and then I’ll have my full focus on Paris.”
Zverev, who has disputed a penalty order from a German court over allegations that he caused bodily harm to a woman, faces a trial starting during Roland Garros. He said recently that he won’t attend the start of the legal proceedings.
And Zverev isn’t 100% healthy either. He had the pinky on his left hand bandaged due to a fall in his quarterfinal win over Taylor Fritz, after which he said he “tore a capsule” and that his finger was “crooked.” The German plays right-handed but uses a two-handed backhand.
Zverev will also be defending his gold medal when the Paris Olympics tennis tournament is held at Roland Garros starting in late July.
Jarry, a Chilean playing in his first Masters Series final, upset Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals.
“This has been an incredible week," Jarry said.
Jarry was cheered on by his grandfather, Jaime Fillol, who was a top-20 player and who gave Jarry his first racket as a kid. Fillol was on Chile’s Davis Cup team that lost the 1976 final to Italy.
Jarry's wife and two sons were also courtside and he grew emotional during the trophy ceremony and had to look away from his family to regain his composure.
“This is a fantastic example of what a family life on tour can look like,” Zverev said.
“I’m not so emotional,” Zverev added. “My dad cries, I don’t cry. It’s a good mix.”
It was Zverev’s first Masters final since getting beat by Alcaraz at the 2022 Madrid Open. The only previous titles he won since his ankle injury came in Hamburg, Germany, and Chengdu, China, last year.
Zverev earned a winner’s check of 963,225 euros (more than $1 million).
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek beat No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the women’s final on Saturday.
In the women’s doubles final, Coco Gauff double faulted on match point to hand Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini of Italy the title with a 6-3, 4-6, (10-8) victory. Gauff teamed with Erin Routliffe.
Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos beat Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 6-2, 6-2 for the men’s doubles title.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, plays with his children Santiago and Juan after his Italian Open tennis tournament final match against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, poses with his trophy and his parents, Alexander and Irina, after defeating Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, in the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Second placed Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, left and winner Alexander Zverev, of Germany, pose with their awards at the end of his Italian Open tennis tournament final match against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, serves to Alexander Zverev, of Germany, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts during his Italian Open tennis tournament final match against Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, prepares to serve to Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, prepares to serve to Alexander Zverev, of Germany during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, returns the ball to Alexander Zverev, of Germany during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexanders Zverev, of Germany, left, serves to Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, wipes his face during his Italian Open tennis tournament final match against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, right, and Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, embrace each other at the end of the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts after defeating Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, in the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, returns with a backhand to Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, serves to Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts after scoring a point against Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, during the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, poses with his trophy after defeating Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, in the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Alexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts after defeating Nicolas Jarry, of Chile, in the Italian Open tennis tournament final match at Rome's Foro Italico, Sunday, May 19, 2024. Zverev won 6-4/7-5. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
