Denver, CO
Mikko Rantanen scores twice, Avalanche grounds Jets in Game 5 to advance to second round
WINNIPEG — Mikko Rantanen found a stick he liked, and shot the Colorado Avalanche into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Winnipeg Jets played their best game of the series facing elimination, but the Avs continued to put pucks past the pending Vezina Trophy winner and advanced with a 6-3 victory Tuesday night in Game 5 at Canada Life Centre.
Colorado won four straight in this series after dropping Game 1, and will now awaits the winner of Dallas-Vegas in the second round.
“How hard we worked and how hard we battled this series was amazing,” Nathan MacKinnon said. “Before the series, I think we came in really humble. We weren’t playing well. These guys just beat us 7-0 (on April 13), so it was a big wake up call … super proud of the guys.”
A little more than two minutes after Tyler Toffoli had brought the Jets even early in the third period, Rantanen scored for the first time in this series to put Colorado in front. Rantanen had been so frustrated earlier in this game that he had snapped a stick in two pieces.
The new stick worked out. Rantanen tipped a shot from the top of the zone by Devon Toews past Connor Hellebuyck to put Colorado in front 4:11 into the third period.
Rantanen scored again to make it 5-3 on a one-timer from Nathan MacKinnon during a 2-on-1 with 11:59 remaining in the third. MacKinnon and Cale Makar finished with nine points in this series, while Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen had eight.
“Luck wasn’t really bouncing at times our way, but that’s what happens sometimes,” Rantanen said. “You get frustrated. I was going to try avoid doing that. Overall, the series was really, really good for us. I think we got better after every game.”
Colorado scored 24 times in five games on Hellebuyck, and four more into an empty net, the last from Josh Manson on Tuesday night. Winnipeg finished the regular season tied for the fewest goals allowed. The Avs scored the most, and great offense beat great defense repeatedly in this series.
Winnipeg finished with 110 points, three more than Colorado, to earn home-ice advantage in this series, but it’s another early playoff exit for the Jets and a question-filled offseason beckons in Southern Manitoba.
The Avs scored first, but into the wrong net. Kyle Connor’s shot trickled behind Alexandar Georgiev and when Manson tried to sweep it out of danger. It hit Lehkonen and the edge of the crease and caromed back into the Colorado net instead.
Colorado got that one back a little more than two minutes later. Right after the fourth line had a great shift, the top trio went to work. MacKinnon carried the puck into the zone, and Valeri Nichushkin finished a tic-tac-toe play from Rantanen and Toews to make it 1-1 just 3:18 in.
Yakov Trenin capped another strong shift from the fourth line with Colorado’s second goal 5:42 into the second period. Trenin fell in the neutral zone early in the shift, which earned a Bronx cheer from the crowd.
Then he worked over Neal Pionk behind the net for an initial shot and beat the defenseman to the rebound for his first goal of the series. Trenin cupped his ear to the suddenly silent crowd, then egged them on before jumping into the glass.
“All series long, (the fourth line’s) forechecking through the course of this series was outstanding,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “The work that they put in, to not only put pressure on their (defense), but to come up with pucks, the physicality. Playing to their identity as a line was outstanding and they got rewarded for their hard work.”
Just like the first period, the team that went down answered quickly. Miles Wood took a penalty trying to get past Colin Miller. Fourteen seconds later, Josh Morrissey scored his third goal of the series on a one-timer from above the right circle.
The hockey gods evened the fluke bounces out later in the second. Lehkonen sent the puck in the general direction of the Winnipeg net, but it was going well wide … until it hit Pionk’s stick and went in the net at 13:45 of the second.
It was Lehkonen’s fifth goal of the series. He and Nichushkin both scored in every game.
Georgiev finished with 33 saves. He allowed seven goals on 23 shots in the opening game of this series, but then proceeded to outplay Hellebuyck the rest of the way.
“(Georgiev) was outstanding all series,” Trenin said. “Very proud of how he came back and just shut up all the haters.”
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Denver, CO
Scotto: Jordi Fernandez filling out coach staff with assistants from Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings
Just after the New York Liberty defeated the Seattle Storm, a contingent of Brooklyn Nets coaches gathered on the court in Barclays Center for a group photo, a moment captured by Doug Bearak of The BK Block. Surrounding the team’s new head coach, Jordi Fernandez — who had sat courtside with Clara Wu Tsai — were six men who will form the core of the 41-year-old’s coaching staff this coming season…
Left to right: holdovers Ryan Forehan Kelly and Corey Vinson, then new assistants Juwan Howard (formerly of the University of Michigan), and Deividas Dulkys of the Sacramento Kings. Then Fernéndez and lead assistant Steve Hetzel, formerly of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Travis Bader, the Nets lead video coordinator last season.
Just minutes after the photo was taken, Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Fernández will fill out his staff with a mix of incumbents and new guys, some but not all of whom were in the group photo…
Sources: The Brooklyn Nets will add Connor Griffin (Nuggets) and Deividas Dulkys (Kings) as assistant coaches to Jordi Fernandez’s staff. Adam Caporn, Ryan Forehan-Kelly and Corey Vinson will be retained. Trevor Hendry leaves after being with the Nets since the Kenny Atkinson era pic.twitter.com/0DZYbo6PNK
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 21, 2024
It had already been reported that two of the assistants — Hetzel and Howard — were joining the Nets. The news from Scotto’s identified the two new player development coaches: Griffin, who’s been with Denver the last two years, and Dulkys, a former Lithuanian professional player who’s worked in Sacramento with Fernández, also for the past two years.
As previously reported by NetsDaily, Ronnie Burrell, who was G League Coach of the Year in 2023, will not be retained. Nor will Kevin Ollie, who filled in for Jacque Vaughn after JV was dismissed in February, nor Will Weaver, his lead assistant.
There is no word on whether Caporn will continue in his role as director of player development, a job he was given last season, nor whether Bader will remain as head video coordinator or be named an assistant. Also uncertain is whether the new head coach has other moves planned.
Still, the moves indicate a couple of things: a push for development and a staff younger, if still experienced, than most in the league.
Denver, CO
New Denver program aimed at keeping teens busy and out of trouble this summer
Denver city officials on Monday announced a plan to help keep teenagers and young adults engaged and safe this summer. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced his youth works initiative.
With the school year ending, Johnston wants to make sure young people have a way to stay busy and make a little money in the process. The summer youth employment and retention program is aimed at not only helping the youth gain employment but to also retain a summer job.
This is for youth 14-21, and the mayor has partnered with Denver Public Schools and local businesses. Those who participate are able to earn $1,000 from May 20 to Aug. 16 and can also learn job skills and explore career paths.
“We are thinking about this as a multi-pronged approach to how we can engage young people into positive activities and prevent the risks of summer violence,” Johnston said.
To be eligible — you must live in Denver, be between 14 and 21 years old, show proof of income and commit to working at least 100 hours between May 20 and Aug. 16. Applications are open today through June 30. Learn more at denvergov.org/YouthSummer.
Denver, CO
Report: Pittsburgh, Denver 'In The Running' For Hosting 2026 NFL Draft
The city of Pittsburgh and the Steelers organization are awaiting word on the bid they submitted in February to host either the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft. The NFL owners are meeting this week in Nashville, and an announcement is possible this week. Team president Art Rooney II expects word this week, and it would make sense with the meetings going on to discuss several league matters.
According to Carolina Panthers beat writer Joe Person of the Athletic on X, Pittsburgh is in the running alongside Denver.
Host cities for 2026 and ‘27 NFL Draft could be announced this week at spring meetings. Denver and Pittsburgh in the running. Charlotte still interested in hosting a future draft, but did not submit a formal bid for this round.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 17, 2024
Charlotte is interested but has not yet submitted a formal bid. I don’t know all of the specifics around the decision or the situation, but if Pittsburgh and Denver are the two teams that have submitted bids, then it would make sense that one of the two cities will host in 2026 with the other in 2027.
WPXI’s Jenna Harner interviewed several people close to the process in Pittsburgh in an article on Sunday, and the VisitPittsburgh CEO said that the level of detail the league is getting into at this point in the process seems promising for Pittsburgh. That would suggest 2026 could be the likely outcome, but we won’t have to wait long to find out.
The city of Detroit broke the draft attendance record with 775,000 fans over three days last month. That brought in an estimated $165 million in net economic impact for the city. Hosting the draft would be an event unlike any other that Pittsburgh has hosted, and it would be a welcome economic boon for the city.
Roger Goodell appeared on The Pat McAfee Show during the 2024 NFL Draft and said “that may be coming soon” when asked about Pittsburgh potentially hosting a future draft, so all signs point positive for the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh.
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