The Avs down the Bolts in 6 to win the Cup in enemy territory; Cale Makar adds two more trophies to the trophy case
For the first time since 2001, the Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup Champions! What a sensational series it was between the Avs and the Bolts, but ultimately, the Avs skated away with a 4-2 series win thanks to a razor-close 2-1 regulation win in Tampa.
The game was a back and forth affair with plenty of chances on both sides and what amounted to one heck of a goaltending duel, and it definitely got chippy at times, including this play by Pat Maroon on Josh Manson directly after the Avs scored.
For the Lightning, it's a tough pill to swallow, getting so close to three consecutive Stanley Cups only to head into the postseason empty-handed. For the Avs, it's a moment of celebration - especially for former Toronto Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri, who came back to compete in the Stanley Cup Finals just a couple of weeks after undergoing surgery to repair an injured right thumb.
This Avalanche core that consists of captain Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Erik Johnson has worked tirelessly to get to this point through some of the darkest days in franchise history. For the skilled youngsters on the team, such as Alex Newhook, Bowen Byram and Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, it's the start of what should be several decorated careers.
Makar can also add another trophy to his trophy case, as he was named the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP, being named Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
For Darcy Kuemper, who came over from the Arizona Coyotes to replace the departing Phillipp Grubauer, he was able to successfully out-duel one of the best goalies on the planet, if not THE best, in Andrei Vasilevskiy.
For Val Nichushkin, it's been one hell of a redemption story and his individual performance in the Finals will not be forgotten anytime soon. He's now a pending UFA and is likely to cash in after the run he's had in Colorado this year.
This run by the Avs was nothing short of incredible and they didn't exactly have the easiest road to get there, having to go through Nashville, St. Louis, Edmonton and Tampa, but this team came in with a chip on their shoulder after a tough loss last year and now they're Champions. Congrats to the Colorado Avalanche.
