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Avalanche Reach Western Conference Finals For The First Time in 20 Years. |
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It wasn't easy. The St. Louis Blues gave it everything they had and more, but it wasn't enough as the Colorado Avalanche reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades.
The Avalanche had been eliminated in the second round each of the past three years.
Game 6 featured two unlikely heroes seizing their moments for the Avs - another testament to the depth of this roster. Darren Helm scored a shocking goal with just 5.6 seconds left in regulation, to eliminate St. Louis and send the frenzied fans home stunned.
Probably much like the gut punch Colorado fans felt after the Blues scored late in game five and finished the job in overtime to stave off elimination.
Helm’s vintage-style slap shot from the circle found its way through a maze of bodies and past a stunned Ville Husso.
The Blues goalies had been the story of the game up until that point. He was terrific stopping 36 of 39 shots. Without him, the game is over by the second period. Colorado finished with a substantial shot and shot attempt advantage in the game and only Husso kept it close.
The Avs rallied from a 2-1 third period deficit to win the game 3-2 and clinch the series.
J.T. Compher scored his first two goals of the playoffs and Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves in the win.
Nathan MacKinnon and the 'Avs face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday.
The Oilers finished off the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta in five games. McDavid scored the series clocking goal in overtime and he and Leon Draisatl are making the NHL playoffs look more like CHEL rookie mode.
I give Colorado a lot of credit. They dealt with the loss of Girard, the entire Nazem Kadri situation, and bounced back from a stunning loss in game 5. It's very obvious that this team learned quite a bit from its past failures AND the number of injuries/adversity they faced throughout this past regular season.
In the hockey lexicon, there is a long-standing belief that a team cannot reach the pinnacle of the sport without first suffering setbacks along the way. I'd say the 'Avs have long suffered many painful setbacks in the last two decades and now they have a chance to stick their flag at that mountain peak.
Each round is going to get tougher and the Oilers possess the speed, skill, and moxie to go toe-to-toe with Colorado. This should be a hell of a series.
Thank for reading,
Steve
Colorado Avalanche Blogger • 
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