Jun 7, 2022 - Sports

Colorado Avalanche advance to first Stanley Cup Final since 2001

Thousands of Colorado Avalanche fans celebrate at a watch party held at Ball Arena in Denver. Photo: Gigi Sukin/Axios

Thousands of Colorado Avalanche fans celebrate at a watch party held at Ball Arena in Denver. Photo: Gigi Sukin/Axios

The Avalanche beat the Oilers, 6-5 in overtime, on Monday night in Edmonton to complete the sweep in the Western Conference Finals and advance to their first Stanley Cup in more than 20 years.

Highlight: Artturi Lehkonen netted the OT game-winner, the second straight season he's scored the goal that sent his team to the final (Canadiens last year).

  • Star of the night: 23-year-old Cale Makar (one goal, four assists) became the seventh defenseman in NHL history, and first since Al MacInnis in 1994, with five points in a playoff game.

State of play: The Avalanche are the first team since the 2003 Ducks to complete two sweeps in a single postseason, and the first team since the 2012 Kings to win every road game (7-0) en route to the final.

  • The Avs won the cup in their previous two trips in 1996 and 2001.

Between the lines: The Connor McDavid-Nathan MacKinnon superstar matchup made this a must-watch series on paper, but it failed to live up to the hype. Colorado was simply too good.

  • McDavid: Three goals, four assists
  • MacKinnon: Three goals, two assists

Fun fact ... For the first time since 1979, a teammate of Jaromir Jagr's will not be participating in the Stanley Cup Final. Only four playoff teams didn't have one: Avalanche, Rangers, Lightning and Kings.

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