Why the Stanley Cup Final-bound Avalanche must be seen to be believed

After dominating three rounds of their postseason competitors, the Colorado Avalanche are headed to the Stanley Cup Closing.

The Avs’ superstars have delivered, as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are each making sturdy instances for the Conn Smythe. However they’ve gotten excellent manufacturing from depth gamers as effectively, together with a series-winning purpose from Artturi Lehkonen in Recreation 4 towards the Edmonton Oilers. With their second collection sweep of the postseason, it is taken the Avalanche solely 14 video games to roll by way of three opponents.

What makes the Avs so thrilling to look at — and so tough for the opposition to defeat? Let’s discover the important thing elements as Colorado has moved one step nearer to the Cup.

Sure, Colorado is that good

Let’s begin with the details: In eliminating Edmonton, the Avalanche turned simply the sixth group within the final 20 seasons to comb a convention closing collection. That locations Colorado in elite firm — however not essentially on the quick monitor to a Stanley Cup win. Solely two of these 5 groups — the 2009 Anaheim Geese and 2010 Chicago Blackhawks — went on to hoist the Cup. The 2003 Geese and 2019 Boston Bruins misplaced in Recreation 7 of their respective Cup Closing. The 2013 Bruins misplaced in Recreation 6.

This Colorado group is its personal distinctive animal. We have seen them do all of it. The Avalanche swept their first-round collection towards the Nashville Predators with out beginning goaltender Darcy Kuemper obtainable for nearly half of it. They did the identical in a convention finals sweep of the Oilers, relying as seamlessly on Pavel Francouz as they might Kuemper. Goaltending could make or break a playoff run; Colorado rolled alongside whether or not Kuemper and Francouz have been dominant or first rate.

It was the identical story offensively. When the Avalanche’s high line wasn’t firing, its second and third items scored well timed objectives, or Colorado bought a key contribution from some unlikely hero (for instance, Darren Helm’s purpose with 5.6 seconds left in regulation of Recreation 6 towards St. Louis to punch Colorado’s ticket to the convention finals). That is not luck. That is a group constructed to win.

Sure, the Avalanche have spectacular, star-quality gamers. They only aren’t the one purpose Colorado is the place it’s. And that is what makes the Avalanche so harmful, the various layers of excellence making them so arduous to explain — or defend. Have a look at the bodily effort put in by Andre Burakovsky — already injured as soon as this collection — early in Recreation 4 to get the puck out of Colorado’s finish. There’s such a transparent want in Colorado to succeed in its purpose.

As Nathan MacKinnon so eloquently put it after Colorado’s 4-2 Recreation 3 win over the Oilers, the Avalanche are as pleased to play “boring and gross” hockey that is defense-heavy as they’re pumping in eight objectives.

The Avalanche can adapt to any state of affairs

Probably the most spectacular issues about Colorado is how they pivot. When one space of the group falters, one other space comes by way of.

Contemplate Colorado’s power-play struggles early within the collection towards Edmonton. The Avalanche owned the NHL’s seventh-best energy play within the common season (24%) however by way of the primary three video games, Colorado was 2-for-14 (14.3%) on the ability play, the bottom output by any group remaining within the postseason area. Irrespective of. The Avalanche simply dominated at 5-on-5 as an alternative and made that the true benefit, pumping in 14 even-strength objectives and averaging over 5 objectives per recreation within the collection. And their energy play got here alive in Recreation 4, scoring on each alternatives.

It is simply one other instance of how the Avalanche have not let any roadblock sluggish their progress. If an issue arises, Colorado has an answer. They do not get slowed down in overthinking or overplaying or getting away from the elemental construction of what makes them a great group. It speaks to the belief Colorado coach Jared Bednar clearly has in his group — and the boldness his gamers have in each other — that the Avalanche actually do not present any signal of panic irrespective of how effectively or poorly a recreation goes. Cool heads constantly prevail.

Leaning into a protracted layoff

The Tampa Bay Lightning had greater than every week off between their second-round sweep of the Florida Panthers and the beginning of the Japanese Convention finals towards the New York Rangers.

There was rust. The Lightning misplaced Recreation 1, 6-2. Then they misplaced Recreation 2, 3-2. The Rangers got here in scorching off a Recreation 7 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and had all of the momentum on their facet. Will these early losses in the end determine Tampa Bay’s destiny?

Extra importantly for Colorado, are the Avs headed for equally troubled waters?

There could possibly be a number of days of observe forward for Colorado earlier than it performs one other aggressive recreation. It is not an excellent situation, but it surely’s one during which the Avalanche have already got expertise this postseason.

Colorado jettisoned Nashville in Recreation 4 on Might 9. It did not open the second-round collection towards St. Louis for eight days, and nonetheless took Recreation 1, 3-2 in additional time. The Avalanche have been possible feeling the results of a layoff, however — as referenced above — Colorado would not get slowed down by adversity.

There additionally will be positives to the ready recreation. Gamers have an opportunity to recuperate and recuperate bodily. The longer Tampa and New York rage on, the nearer Nazem Kadri (out with a damaged thumb) will get to probably showing within the Cup Closing. The Avalanche do not want arduous practices or exercises at this stage. They’ve proved their mettle already. Maybe the largest problem will likely be psychological, and staying sharp forward of what would be the most nerve-wracking, career-defining second for a big swath of the Colorado roster.

Who to play? Or to not play?

Coaches and gamers won’t ever admit to favoring one opponent or matchup over one other. However we will do it for them.

Colorado was 2-0 within the common season towards each Tampa Bay and New York (one of many wins towards the Lightning got here in a shootout).

There’s an argument to be made for avoiding the Lightning merely due to how resilient they have been within the playoffs — overcoming a 2-0 deficit to begin the Japanese Convention finals would add to that narrative — and the psychological mojo they possess in going for a three-peat.

However the Rangers have been fairly resilient too. Closing out the Hurricanes after shedding the primary two video games of their second-round collection has (rightfully) injected the Rangers with confidence. The Blueshirts pushed the Lightning round early within the convention finals, and have barely ceded an inch of floor since.

No matter group comes out of that collection will likely be a formidable opponent for Colorado. And there is a world-class goaltender ready within the crease regardless, in New York’s Igor Shesterkin or Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy.

As we have mentioned, the Avalanche are proficient in each class. All issues being equal, Colorado matches up effectively towards both group as a result of the Avalanche are adaptable and might pull from totally different aspects of their recreation as required.

Maybe it comes all the way down to avoiding Tampa Bay’s mystique, which is why Colorado could possibly be — secretly — pulling for the Rangers. New York’s depth is robust, its goaltending is terrific, it’s a bodily group and stable defensively. Avs-Rangers could be a implausible collection. And — bonus — would supply us all with a brand new Cup champion after two years of the Lightning being on high.

Powerful break for Kadri

The longer Colorado has earlier than the following spherical kicks off, the higher it will likely be for Kadri. He broke his thumb when Evander Kane boarded him in Recreation 3 towards Edmonton, and Kadri will likely be motivated to take part within the first Cup Closing of his profession.

Colorado will likely be equally hopeful to have Kadri return. The ahead has notched six objectives and 14 factors within the playoffs so far and was actually shining enjoying with Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen towards the Oilers. Andre Burakovsky has slid right into a second-line position for the Avalanche with Kadri unavailable, and could possibly be a tremendous alternative there going ahead. But when Colorado faces a completely wholesome Tampa Bay or New York lineup, Kadri’s absence could possibly be an even bigger issue.

It is not simply that Kadri is a succesful, constant contributor on the scoresheet. He’s additionally good within the faceoff circle (50.5% within the postseason), has earned massive minutes on the ability play (3:11 per recreation) and naturally has a manner of getting underneath anybody’s pores and skin. Intangibles typically come to the forefront this time of 12 months, and Kadri’s will be particularly useful for Colorado.

Jared Bednar hasn’t been forthcoming about any participant’s well being within the postseason, so it is unlikely he’ll be offering updates on Kadri anytime quickly. What we all know for certain is that Colorado is healthier with Kadri than with out him.