Avalanche

DENVER — (AP) — J.T. Compher scored twice, Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 on Tuesday ...

Sakic captured two Stanley Cup titles as an Avalanche player and is trying to deliver another calling the shots from the front office. “We all know what kind of players are on these two teams and we didn’t plan to play such a game," Francouz said. Hall of Fame QB John Elway joined Gretzky and the crew on TNT’s pregame show. “I’ve got so much respect for Joe,” Elway said. So it was great,” the defenseman said. But with 7:24 left in the third, Edmonton made it 7-6 on Nugent-Hopkins' power-play goal. “We don’t want to play the game that we played tonight. “In saying that, it’s one game.” And the opening two periods saw 11 total goals. This was a matchup billed as a showdown between stars Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid and they delivered. At times, it looked more like an All-Star Game rather than a conference final. We want to be tighter defensively.”

DENVER — Josh Manson wants to do everything he can to beat the Edmonton Oilers. That doesn't mean the Colorado Avalanche defenceman will be cutting off ...

"Knowing when to push and when to back off, I think that's what makes him a good coach as well. "That's something I try to take in my own game. "He got traded (by the Chicago Blackhawks) to Edmonton right after I was born." "I just heard from other people the way he played." "He'll be there for me and I'll be there to talk to him about whatever. "Family comes first," said the 160th pick at the 2011 NHL draft.

Following the Edmonton Oilers' practice in Denver on Monday, assistant coach Dave Manson went to see his granddaughter, Gemma Grace, who is the daughter of ...

You have to bear down and find a way to get it past the goalie, but like I said, not think about it too much.” It’s the wrong time of the year to think about your personal stuff so I’m doing everything I can to play for the team.” “His mother is the one that made sure he stuck it out,” Dave Manson said. He’ll be there for me and I’ll be there to talk to him about whatever. “She better be pulling for me,” Josh said. “They played a bunch and she was all over him.

Colorado beat Edmonton 8-6 in a high-flying Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday night.

Francouz took over the net for Kuemper and was sharp in the second period. The Avalanche netminder made a key stop on a second period breakaway on Zach Kassian and then his team rewarded him with Rantnanen's strike. The high scoring game continued in the electric second period as Colorado finished the frame with four goals and a 7-4 lead. Ryan first put the Oilers within two goals at 3:28 in the final frame as he buried a loose puck around the goal mouth. Francouz made 18 saves on 21 shots as he took over the net for Kuemper. Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar did not have an update on Kuemper following the game. Darcy Kuemper made six saves in the eight shots through 27:19 minutes before leaving the game in the second period with an upper-body injury. Late in the opening period, Edmonton equalized the score 2-2 on a zone cycle beginning in the left faceoff circle. On that power play, Francouz denied Ryan Nugent Hopkins in the slot, smothered an Evan Bouchard shot from distance and an attempt from McLeod to jam it in; all of which warranted applause from the crowd at Ball Arena. Despite dropping 1-0 to the Oilers 5:04 into the period as Kane got sprung off a quick turnover and counter attack and beat Kuemper with his shot over his glove, the Avs equalized the score 36 seconds later. They got rewarded and took a 2-1 lead with a quick counter again on a quick breakout. They got the scoring going with a power-play strike from Kadri at 32 seconds as he finished a loose puck off on the doorstep. After the Avs took a 6-3 lead, Smith was replaced by Mikko Koskinen, who made 20 saves on 21 shots in 32:07 minutes.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 in an unexpected high-scoring affair in Game 1 of the Western Conference final.

The Athletic NHL Staff Smith was replaced in net by Mikko Koskinen. Both teams combined for 11 goals through the series' opening two periods, with the Avalanche holding a 7-4 lead after 40 minutes of play.

The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers begin the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight at Ball Arena in Denver, CO.

Jack Johnson — Josh Manson The talk in the hockey world has been about the matchup between Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. Both players harness game-breaking abilities and will be crucial in defeating their opponents. The Oilers haven't made a conference final since 2006 when they defeated the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in five games.

The Colorado Avalanche hung on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers, 8-6, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday, but the home team lost starting ...

We didn't get the kill, that was disappointing for us. When Cale Makar lit the lamp with just 13 seconds left in the first period, Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft challenged the play for being offside. "When you're on the bench halfway through the game, it's not a good sign," Smith said. "We didn't plan to play such a game," Francouz said, "but we'll take the win. The NHL's explanation for the goal standing was that Makar pushed the puck into the zone but didn't himself cross the blueline until Nichushkin had tagged up. We all know what kind of players are on these two teams and we didn't plan to play such a game, but we take this win for sure, and we move forward." Francouz hadn't been totally idle in the playoffs. That was already apparent in how Francouz fared coming off the bench. Kuemper's exit wasn't the only goalie drama in Game 1, either. Kuemper was late returning to the ice when the second period began, and then left for good at the first TV timeout. Backup Pavel Francouz backstopped Colorado the rest of the way in an 18-save performance. And he's coming off a terrific regular season (37-12-4, .921 SV%, 2.54 GAA) that helped Colorado gain strong positioning for the playoffs.

Cale Makar had a goal and three assists as the Colorado Avalanche dominated early and hung on late to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 in Game 1 of the ...

"We felt the player had control of the puck, didn't know there was an offside player," Woodcroft said. "A lot of stuff that we can clean up," McDavid added. "We're a resilient group that doesn't just roll over and die. Mike Smith allowed six goals on 25 shots until getting the hook in the second. "We know we have to be better. Ryan got Edmonton to within two with his first at 3:28 of the third to make it 7-5 after Koskinen made a nice stop at the other end with Rantanen in home free. The league added in its explanation that "Makar made contact with the puck in the offensive zone after Nichushkin was in an onside position." And we will be." That's an encouraging part." The Oilers are in the third round for the first time since 2006 — when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final — after defeating Calgary in the first post-season Battle of Alberta in 31 years. "We're getting scoring chances [and] capitalizing. Andrew Cogliano and Gabriel Landeskog, into an empty net, also connected, while Devon Toews added two assists.

The Avalanche and Oilers combined for 11 goals through the series' opening two periods.

The Athletic NHL Staff Smith was replaced in net by Mikko Koskinen. Both teams combined for 11 goals through the series' opening two periods, with the Avalanche holding a 7-4 lead after 40 minutes of play.

The Colorado Avalanche punched its ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years last week after knocking the St. Louis Blues out ...

- Sobo 151 Bar & Grill (151 S. Broadway): The Czech bar and grill is a longtime staple for hockey fans. Entering the Western Conference Finals, sportsbooks are giving the Avs the best odds of the remaining teams to win the championship. It’s been more than two decades since the Avalanche won the championship. Before the start of the season, oddsmakers and many national analysts pegged Colorado as the favorite to win it all. The Avs take on the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals. The winner of this series will face the winner of the Lightning vs. Subsequent games at Ball Arena are ranging from $179-$1,870. He’s afinalist for this year’s Norris Trophy award, given to the league’s top defenseman. - Game 2: Oilers at Avalanche, Thursday, June 2, 6 p.m. TNT - Mikko Rantanen (No. 96): Colorado’s leader in goals (36) and points (92) in the regular season. Rangers or Hurricanes series in the Stanley Cup Final. - Nathan MacKinnon (No. 29): The 26-year-old center is the face of the franchise and led the team in points per game during the regular season. - Cale Makar (No. 8): At the age of 23, he is arguably the best player on the team and already a generational talent.

The two highest-scoring teams in the postseason live up to that billing in a game that isn't safe until a late empty-netter.

“We all know what kind of players are on these two teams and we didn’t plan to play such a game,” Francouz said. But by 7:24 left in the third, Edmonton made it 7-6 on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal. Edmonton and Colorado scored six times over a 6:43 span — nearly a goal a minute. “In saying that, it’s one game.” At times, this looked more like an All-Star Game — lots of scoring, optional defense — rather than a conference final. This was a matchup billed as a showdown between stars Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid and they delivered.

The Avalanche defeated Edmonton, 8-6, but it became extremely uncomfortable as the Oilers chiseled away at a 7-3 lead.

Colorado beat Edmonton in five games in the 1997 conference semifinal and the Oilers downed the Avalanche in seven games at the 1998 conference quarterfinal. The Avalanche rallied from a 1-0 deficit to lead 2-1 and 3-2 in a back-and-forth first period. “I’m preparing for the game same way if I’m playing or if I’m not playing. Smith was pulled after the sixth goal, stopping just 19-of-25 shots (.760%). Shortly thereafter, Kuemper was replaced by Francouz. Kuemper skated to the bench and spoke to Bednar before walking to the dressing room. Edmonton, however, answered 2:59 into the frame on a sleepy play by starting goalie Darcy Kuemper, who left a rebound in the paint beside him and Ryan McLeod tapped it in. But we did get unfortunate on a couple (Oilers) goals.” “I don’t know if I lifted my stick away from the puck or whatnot. We had a ton of good looks in the third as well.” We got to find ways to get the momentum back a little bit but that’s playoff hockey. I feel like we got to be tighter as a group and we know that.” I thought we were a little unfortunate on a couple plays,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. The Oilers rallied for three consecutive goals to get within 7-6 with 7:34 remaining.

So, who's going to start in goal for Game 2 Thursday? I would bet a fair amount it'll be Pavel Francouz, no matter what. First off, Darcy Kuemper is injured ...

- Gabe Landeskog took a bad penalty on Connor McDavid with about eight minutes left in the third, with a 7-5 lead. He chipped in with anassist. Cogliano had one game-winning tally in the playoffs prior to this year, against Dallas on April 18, 2014. - I don’t know why, but I just never once felt nervous even after it was 7-6. - Francouz: “I didn’t feel cold for like five seconds, I was warm pretty quickly, so that wasn’t an issue. This time, unlike Game 5 against the Blues, they got away with it. But just don’t fear them. But he scored the empty-netter this time, at least. I just don’t fear this Oilers team that much. He made a big stop on Evander Kane right near the end too. We didn’t plan to play such a game, but we’ll take this win for sure and move forward.” - I think – again – the Avs relaxed with a big lead at home.

DENVER (AP) — J.T. Compher scored twice, Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 on Tuesday night ...

Jared Bednar is no Vic Fangio, thank goodness. But, Lordy, are the Avalanche's goaltending options for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs starting to remind you ...

“I think we have a lot to clean up, defensively,” Avs forward J.T. Compher said in the understatement of the evening. To say nothing for the heart. The Avs went into the third round of the postseason with 16 different playoff scorers and eight skaters netting two goals or more. The Oilers have star power in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisatil and Evander Kane, speed and savvy through four lines, and enough electricity on offense to power 15 city blocks. And that’s to a victory parade. But, Lordy, are the Avalanche’s goaltending options for the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs starting to remind you a little of the Broncos’ quarterback derby last summer.

(2P) Oilers at (1C) Avalanche. Western Conference Final, Game 1. 8 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS. The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers each return to ...

It's hard to speak for other guys, but just getting focused and being ready for puck drop." "Just have to get one and it gets a lot easier," Rantanen said. Just got to bear down and find a way to get it past the goalie. "It's hard to win in this League, right?" "I know they're both humble guys and not going to try to make it about them. Colorado had lost in the second round in each of the past three seasons.

At times, the Avalanche seemed like they were going to blow out the Oilers in Game 1. Edmonton made it close, but the Avs prevailed in a wild one.

So often in Game 1, the Avalanche absolutely shredded the Oilers in transition. Ultimately, the parallels between the Oilers’ Game 1 against the Flames and Tuesday’s versus the Avalanche didn’t stop with goalie changes. - Early in the third,Andre Burakovskywas shaken up after blocking a shot. Edmonton hopped on that opportunity, with Derek Ryanfinishing the play. At the moment, the Avalanche label Kuemper’s issue an upper-body injury. For those of us hockey fans who just want to enjoy this series, something in between would be fine. Nazem Kadri scored on a rebound to make it 4-2 early in the second. (Aside: I’ll probably call for this rule to change at least once per playoff series, as it’s too harsh of a penalty for close calls.) Game 3 – June 4: Avalanche at Oilers, 8 p.m. ET (TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS) We actually saw both pairs of goalies in this one. Honestly, it’s tough to say. Remarkably, Cale Makar answered back just nine seconds later … or did he?

The status of Kuemper, who endured a few hiccups last round against the St. Louis Blues, could become a big storyline as this series develops, depending on ...

During the game I’m trying to follow every play, trying to open the doors for the guys and that kind of keeps me in the game. We all know what kind of players are on these two teams and we didn’t plan to play such a game, but we take this win for sure and we move forward.” Throughout our lineup we can be much better defensively and make it harder on their forwards. Francouz also already saw action in the first round against the Nashville Predators when Kuemper missed time after taking a stick in the eye from Ryan Johansen. (Nichushkin) does a nice job hustling out before he touches it, and obviously great shot.” I have a lot of faith in him. “If we want to win more games in the series, we have a bit of cleanup (to take care of),” said versatile Avalanche forward J.T. Compher, who scored a pair of goals to give him four in the past two games. “First of all, I’m preparing for the game the same way if I’m playing or if I’m not playing. “It was really impressive. Guys love playing in front of him. “It’s obviously easier if you have a pretty good lead, so I think that kind of helped us for sure,” said Francouz, who was 15-5-1 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .916 save percentage during the regular season. “I didn’t feel cold for like five seconds, I was warm pretty quickly.