Johnston gave the Stars a 1-0 lead nine seconds into the first. Off the opening face-off, he chased down a dump-in to the right of the net and scored with a sharp-angled shot that deflected in off the side of Blackwood. The goal is tied for the fifth-fastest to begin a game in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

The Dallas Stars celebrate a goal by Mason Marchment during the second period in Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Dallas.

It would be hard not to compare and contrast the current state of the Avalanche to what the organization faced after Game 4 against the Dallas Stars a season ago.