Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provides a frank commentary on the antics displayed by the Stars in Game 5.

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On Tuesday, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar expressed his thoughts candidly. It was evident that he was dissatisfied with the officiating during Colorado's Game 5 defeat against the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Although the Avalanche were outperformed in the 6-2 loss, certain pivotal moments influenced the outcome. Following Colorado's goal that narrowed the score to 3-2 in the second period, defenseman Sam Malinski received a dubious elbowing penalty, granting the Stars a power play opportunity. They capitalized on this, extending their lead to 4-2, and quickly added another goal to make it 5-2, effectively sealing the game. Furthermore, Dallas captain Jamie Benn's incident, where he collided with the stick of Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson and exaggerated the fall, resulted in another penalty early in the third period, sparking significant discussion on social media regarding Benn's actions. During his press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Bednar addressed these issues directly. Essentially, Bednar suggested that if the Stars wish to engage in physical play, they should refrain from theatrical antics whenever the Avalanche do the same. While he had generally accepted the officiating throughout the series, it was clear he disapproved of it in Game 5.

“I didn’t like the way the game was officiated the other night,” Bednar remarked. “We regroup and go again and we’ll get two new officials next game.”

Coach Jared Bednar:

"Yeah, I have lots of thoughts about it. Look at how physical they're playing as a team, and then look at guys hitting the ice... If you're going to play that physical then I think you have be ready to fight through things at the same time"

It is apparent that the NHL should instruct the officials for Game 6 to be vigilant regarding the Stars' tendency to embellish. Although Bednar did not explicitly state this, it is clear he shares similar sentiments. Regardless, the Avalanche must secure a victory on Thursday night at Ball Arena to prolong their season and force a Game 7. It is hoped that, regardless of the outcome, officiating does not dominate the postgame narrative.