The Avalanche's Game 7 secret that helped them capture the Stanley Cup in 2001 has been revealed
Photo credit: Brian Bahr / Bleacher Report
The Colorado Avalanche are among only 13 teams in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup three or more times.
Their second championship came 24 years ago today in 2001 when they capped off a thrilling, hard-fought series against the New Jersey Devils with a determined 3-1 win in Game 7 on home ice.
How the 2001 Colorado Avalanche won their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Trent Finnegan from Denver Sports writes that in the 2001 Stanley Cup Final against New Jersey, the Avalanche found themselves trailing the series 3-2, facing elimination. But after dominating Game 6 with a 4-0 shutout on the road to force Game 7, Colorado carried that momentum home, seized an early lead, and never relinquished control on their way to victory.
"A sold out Pepsi Center was as loud as can be to cheer on an Avalanche squad filled with legends such as Joe Sakic, Ray Borque, Adam Foote and Patrick Roy. The burgundy and blue made sure to not let their home crowd down like they did in Game 5, and jumped ahead just eight minutes into the game with a goal from Alex Tanguay." -Finnegan
Tanguay struck again just five minutes into the second period, netting what would become the game-winning goal. Later in the frame, Sakic buried a power-play marker to extend Colorado's lead to 3-0.
Although the Devils managed to get one back before the period ended, the Avalanche locked things down defensively in the third, securing the win and capturing the franchise's second Stanley Cup in only their sixth season in Denver.
"While Tanguay's three points and Sakic's two were the most valuable performances for Colorado in the offensive zone, it was Roy's stifling defense between the pipes that made victory possible for the Avs. Roy saved 25 of the 26 shots he faced, and the only goal he allowed past him came on the power play. That was one of 13 different performances throughout that run in which Roy allowed one or zero goals, a perfect performance to cap off a dominant postseason. He was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Award after Game 7 as the best player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that season." -Finnegan
What will it take for the Avs to return to Stanley Cup glory? On paper, they've got the talent, but their Game 7 collapse in the first round this year raised serious questions about their mental toughness and killer instinct.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 9 | 40 ANSWERS The Avalanche's Game 7 secret that helped them capture the Stanley Cup in 2001 has been revealed Will the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in the next 5 years? | ||
| yes | 34 | 85 % |
| no | 6 | 15 % |
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