From left, Seattle Kraken center Jaden Schwartz, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and goaltender Philipp Grubauer celebrate as time runs out in the third period of Game 7 of an NHL first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Denver. The Kraken won 2-1 to advance to round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

From left, Seattle Kraken center Jaden Schwartz, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak and goaltender Philipp Grubauer celebrate as time runs out in the third period of Game 7 of an NHL first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Denver. The Kraken won 2-1 to advance to round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: Kraken win Game 7 to eliminate defending champion Avalanche

  • Pat Graham The Associated Press
  • Sunday, April 30, 2023 10:30pm
  • SportsNHL

DENVER — Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, Philipp Grubauer was stellar in stopping 33 shots and the Seattle Kraken eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 win in Game 7 on Sunday night.

The Kraken became the first expansion team to beat the reigning Stanley Cup champs in their inaugural playoff series, according to NHL Stats.

Bjorkstrand scored one goal on a fortuitous deflection — the puck hit off a stick and glove — and another with a liner past goaltender Alexandar Georgiev that clanged off the post. Seattle grabbed the lead in every game in the series.

Next up for the second-year Kraken is a second-round series against the Stars that opens in Dallas on Tuesday night. Seattle was 1-1-1 against Dallas in the regular season.

Mikko Rantanen was credited with a power-play goal for Colorado after a shot by Nathan MacKinnon clipped him and went in. MacKinnon appeared to score early in the third period to tie it at 2, but Seattle challenged the play and the goal was disallowed due to Colorado being offside.

The Avalanche pulled Georgiev with under 2 minutes remaining but couldn’t get the equalizer. It allowed the Kraken to accomplish another franchise first — a series-clinching celebration.

Colorado has now lost its last six Game 7s. The last time the Avalanche won a winner-take-all Game 7 was 2002, when they beat San Jose 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Hall of Fame forward Peter Forsberg.

Both teams lost players for the series due to hard hits. Jared McCann didn’t play again after taking a hit from Cale Makar along the boards in Game 4, which drew a one-game suspension (Game 5) for the Avalanche defenseman. Colorado was without Andrew Cogliano for Game 7 after he suffered a fracture in his neck following a hit along the boards from Kraken forward Jordan Eberle, who didn’t face supplemental discipline.

MacKinnon energized the crowd with what looked like a tying goal. But it was taken off the board following a successful challenge by the Kraken. Artturi Lehkonen was ruled in the zone before the puck entered.

It’s the second time this series the Kraken have used a challenge to negate an Avalanche score.

The Kraken also deflated the capacity crowd by doing what they’ve done in every game this series — score first.

Held without a goal all series, Bjorkstrand picked a good time to find the net. He was credited with a goal in the second period that glanced the stick of Alex Newhook and then off the glove of Ben Meyers and into the net. Bjorkstrand scored again nearly four minutes later with a pinpoint shot on a breakaway down the side to make it 2-0.

Bjorkstrand nearly had a hat trick but his shot late in the game hit the post.

With 27.3 seconds left in the second period, MacKinnon lined a shot that glanced off Rantanen and went by Grubauer. MacKinnon’s assist on the play was his 100th career playoff point. He joins the company of Joe Sakic (188) and Forsberg (159) as the only Avalanche players to reach the 100-point milestone in the postseason.

Georgiev finished with 25 saves.

Grubauer was sensational in the first period against his former team. He stopped 16 shots, including one with the top of his stick, to set the tone for the evening.

The banged-up Avalanche were missing forwards Darren Helm (upper body), Cogliano and Valeri Nichushkin (personal reasons), along with defenseman Josh Manson (lower body) in Game 7.

They’ve been without captain Gabriel Landeskog all season after he underwent knee surgery in October.

AROUND THE ICE

Kraken forward Tye Kartye turned 22 on Sunday. … Forward Yanni Gourde had two assists. … Colorado finished 2 for 18 on the power play in the series.

———

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

More in Sports

SportsLogos.net
CARMAN’S COLUMN: Be prepared for lengthy NBA title run

Hoping curse kicks in, but OKC looking poised to win

Photo by Karen O'Donnell
Hands Across the Water International Yacht Race participants finish the Victoria-to-Port Angeles portion of the race in Port Angeles Harbor last Saturday.
SAILING: Yacht races seal border bond

Sailors from both the U.S. and Canada came together… Continue reading

The top three finishers in the women's masters short course race of the Gravel Unravel this weekend celebrate in Quilcene receiving their medals. From left are Jennifer Ritter of Boise, Idaho, third, Emiko Atherton of Seattle, first, and Shaun Baesman of Bainbridge, second. (David Goetze)
GRAVEL UNRAVEL: Big hills, thick clouds and close finishes

It wasn’t as muddy as some past years, but the… Continue reading

The Port Angeles Illusion fastpitch softball team won the 14U C state championship Sunday by beating the Bonney Lake Firecrackers 13-3 in the title game. From left, top row, are Jenessa Balch, assistant coach Leeah Faris, coach Warren Stevens, Teyah Elofson, Riley Nichols, Brooklyn Rondeau, Misty McNeely, McKenna Cox, Sophia Calderon, Britney Rowland and Greg Faris. From left bottom row, are Ayla Balch, Kylin Weitz, Alexia Fuller, Mattie Messenger, Tyann Connary, Kailyn Crowder and Pearl Salazar.
STANDALONE PHOTO: Illusion 14U are state champs

The Port Angeles Illusion fastpitch softball team won the 14U C state… Continue reading

Wilder Baseball Club.
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL: Wilder Jr. shuts out Wollochet behind DeLeon

Wilder Junior completed a sweep over Wollochet with four-hit… Continue reading

Port Angeles Lefties.
WEST COAST LEAGUE: Lefties swept by first-place Apple Sox

Despite a grand slam home run from Jeremy Giesegh, the… Continue reading

Strait Slice Pizza won the Peninsula Soccer League championship this weekend. From left, kneeling (not including children), are Kaye Thomas, Kelsey Kuhn, Beckie Lee, Mel Messineo, Taryn Asmus, Victoria Jones and Jack Waknitz. From left, standing, are Sam Havens, Ian Miller, Christine Loewe, Alli Roth, Aaron Lee, Kyle Henderson, Jimmy Quigley, Luke Strong-Cvetich, Zach Gray, Isaiah Jindrich and Minh Pham-Bui.
PENINSULA SOCCER LEAGUE: Strait Slice league champions

Strait Slice Pizza won the Peninsula Soccer League championship this weekend. From… Continue reading

Wilder Senior’s Bryant Laboy hits a chopper against Whatcom Post No. 7 while Landen Olson waits in the on-deck circle. Wilder Senior was able to win the pitchers’ duel with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh by Braydan White. (Pierre LaBossiere/Peninsula Daily News)
AMERICAN LEGION: Wilder Senior wins four straight

Senior’s Ethan Staples fires no-hitter

Port Angeles Lefties.
WEST COAST LEAGUE: Lefties drop pair of games to Wenatchee

The Port Angeles Lefties couldn’t have had two more different… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Lefties first baseman Will White tries to catch Seattle Gumberoos baserunner Eoin Buechs off the bag during Thursday's game at Port Angeles Civic Field.
PORT ANGELES LEFTIES: Lefties sweep the Gumberoos after 9-1 victory

The Port Angeles Lefties completed a three-game sweep over… Continue reading

Crab season begins in marine areas surrounding the North Olympic Peninsula on July 3. (Annie Johnson/WDFW)
OUTDOORS: Recreational crabbing season to open July 3

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Puget Sound… Continue reading