Colorado one win away from Stanley Cup title

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (right) controls the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night in Tampa, Fla. The Avalanche hold a 3-1 series lead and can win the franchise’s third Stanley Cup with a victory in Game 5 today in Denver.
(AP/Phelen Ebenhack)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (right) controls the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night in Tampa, Fla. The Avalanche hold a 3-1 series lead and can win the franchise’s third Stanley Cup with a victory in Game 5 today in Denver. (AP/Phelen Ebenhack)

DENVER -- Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche weren't all that interested in glancing back at the simmering controversy over the way Game 4 ended in overtime.

Of way more importance was looking ahead to this: A chance to clinch the franchise's first Stanley Cup title since 2001. In front of their home fans, too, where ticket prices have soared to more than $1,300 for an upper-level seat.

Colorado has a chance to not only dethrone two-time defending champion Tampa Bay tonight in Game 5, but possibly jumpstart its own dynasty. behind a core of young, dynamic players like Makar

"It's going to be the toughest one that we've had so far," said Makar, whose team leads 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and boasts a 3-1 mark in close-out games this postseason. "We have to expect them to bring obviously everything they have at us because it's do-or-die. We just have to be ready."

The Lightning were unhappy with how things ended in overtime on Wednesday night. Nazem Kadri, injured thumb and all, scored the winner on a shot that slipped under the right arm of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Tampa Bay's gripe: The Avalanche appeared to have too many players on the ice.

A day later, Lightning Coach Jon Cooper softened his stance.

"It's unfortunate but it's water under the bridge now," Cooper said.

All Colorado needs is one win in three tries -- two at home -- for its third Stanley Cup title since relocating to Denver from Quebec in 1995-96. The Avalanche swept Florida in their inaugural season and earned title No. 2 in '01 with a Game 7 win at home over the New Jersey Devils.

Back then, Hall of Fame forward Joe Sakic was leading the charge on the ice.

Now, his fingerprints are all over this fast-flying team as the general manager. He saw five players he picked up right before or during the season combine for five points on the tying and winning goals in Game 4. Kadri was acquired by Sakic as part of a deal with Toronto in 2019.

Sakic assembled this squad around playmakers such as Makar, captain Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon. They've been a big reason why this team is 15-3 in these playoffs and on the verge of knocking off the champs.

"You can see they're hungry," said Hockey Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, who won six Stanley Cup titles as a player and another with the Avalanche as an assistant coach in 2001. "Landeskog's been in the league for a long time, MacKinnon's been in the league for a long time and now they're getting a taste and they're right on the cusp of something pretty exciting."

But win No. 16 won't be easy. Rarely is this time of year.

"They're probably preaching, 'They've never been here. They're going to be tight' and that's fair," said MacKinnon, who scored his first goal of the series Wednesday. "But we'll be ready to go. We've been great under pressure all playoffs, all season."

This is a proud Lightning crew who've bounced back before. They faced a 2-0 series deficit in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers before rallying. They also were down 3-2 to Toronto in the first round.

"If there's one thing I know about this group it's that we respond well to adversity," Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman said. "We're a resilient group. We believe in what we have."


Stanley Cup Final

(Best-of-7;x-if necessary)

All times Central

TODAY’S GAME

Tampa Bay at Colorado, 7 p.m.

Colorado leads series 3-1

SUNDAY’S GAME

x-Colorado at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.


  photo  Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96), center Nathan MacKinnon (29) and defenseman Cale Makar (8) celebrate after the goal by teammate Gabriel Landeskog during the second period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
 
 
  photo  Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) is congratulated by teammates after his overtime goal on Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
 
 
  photo  Colorado Avalanche center Andrew Cogliano, center, and defenseman Josh Manson (42) celebrate the overtime goal by teammate center Nazem Kadri (91) in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
 
 
  photo  The Colorado Avalanche celebrate their overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
 
 
  photo  Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) shoots the puck past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) for a goal during overtime of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
 
 
  photo  Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri (91) skates by Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) after a goal during overtime of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
 
 

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