By Jordan Long
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the first NHL games played. The games were played on December 19, 1917. The NHL was made up of 5 teams, the Montréal Canadians, The Montréal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs and the Toronto Arenas. The teams playing in the game were the Montréal Canadians, the original Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs and the Toronto Arenas. The Montréal Canadians beat the original Ottawa Senators 7-4 while the Wanderers knocked off Toronto 10-9. The NHL has expanded since then to 31 teams. The Colorado Avalanche, who relocated from Quebec, have only played in Denver for 22 years. This made me think about all the great memories of the Avalanche in franchise history.
The first has to be the 1996 season. They finished the season 47-25-10 with a total of 104 points, second in the Western Conference to the Detroit Red Wings who won 62 games, setting an NHL record. Colorado knocked off Vancouver and Chicago on their way to the Western Conference Final. They met Detroit. Colorado beat them 4-2 for their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final as the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche were hoping to bring Denver its’ first professional championship in any sport. It took triple overtime in game 4 for a sweep of the Florida Panthers to take home the Cup.
It took Colorado 5 more years to win a second one. During the 2001 season, Patrick Roy passed Terry Sawchuk for the most wins ever as a starting goaltender. The Avalanche were on the road in Washington to face the Capitals on October 18, 2000. They were hoping Roy would set the mark there. It took overtime but Peter Forsberg beat Capitals’ goaltender Olaf Kolzig 2:27 into the overtime period giving Roy at the time the most career wins as a starting goaltender. Martin Brodeur has since passed Roy.
In the 2001 season, Colorado’s goal was to win a Stanley Cup for Ray Bourque. Bourque spent 21 years in Boston. They never were able to win a Cup with him. Colorado traded for him during the 2000 season. Colorado was the top team in 2001 with a record of 52-16-10-4 for 118 points. The Stanley Cup Playoffs would be going through Colorado.
The Avalanche swept Vancouver. Waiting for them in the 2nd-round was the L.A. Kings. Colorado held a 3-1 series lead. It looked like they may end up winning the series in 5 games but the Kings had other plans. They won game 5 and 6 to set up a winner take all game 7. Colorado beat them 5-1. The Avalanche knocked off the St. Louis Blues and headed to the Finals. In the final Colorado had to come back from a 3-2 series deficit to claim the Cup over the New Jersey Devils in 7 games. It gave Ray Bourque his first and only Cup win.
Colorado has not been great in the salary cap era. Colorado made only one playoff appearance since 2011. That was in 2014. It was a one and done but I went to the 5th game against the Minnesota Wild. It was a close game and took overtime. Nathan MacKinnon scored 3:27 into overtime. It was one of the best games I have ever been to. It was back and forth. In hockey overtime, games can last for a long time. At least this one ended early. These are a few of my memories of the Colorado Avalanche.
What are your Colorado Avalanche memories?
Foote goal in Cup run vs Panthers