ANDREW COGLIANO

Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin each scored two power-play goals, Mikko Rantanen had four assists and the fast-skating Colorado Avalanche began their Stanley Cup title defense with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

The city will celebrate the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup title with a parade through the streets of downtown Denver.

The Colorado Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup showed the value of speed and skill in a league dramatically tilting in that direction.

Nathan MacKinnon saved his best performance in the Stanley Cup Final for when it mattered most.

The Colorado Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup after dethroning the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

Injured Colorado Avalanche forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano skated with an assistant coach Thursday after missing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kadri skated with a stick in his hand for the first time since injuring his right thumb crashing into the boards during the last round. Cogliano took a puck to the right hand in Colorado’s series clincher against Edmonton in the Western Conference final.

Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.

Avalanche Blues Hockey Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper celebrates with teammates Nazem Kadri (91), Erik Johnson (6) and Andrew Cogliano (11) following a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Saturday, May 21, 2022, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) (Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS — (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, Darcy Kuemper stopped 29 shots and the Colorado Avalanche beat the St. Louis Blues 5-2 in Game 3 of their second-round series Saturday night. Logan O'Connor, Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog also scored as the Avalanche to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Lehkonen scored his second of the night with Husso pulled to put Colorado up 5-2 in the final minute. Girard was ruled out with an upper body injury and was transported to a St. Louis area hospital for further evaluation.

Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog built the lead to 6-0 when he was credited for a goal in the second period. MacKinnon scored his second goal of the game in the third period and, coupled with an assist, raised his playoff points per game average to 1.41. RECORD STARTThe goals by MacKinnon and Toews were in the first 2:42, making it the fastest pair of goals to start a playoff game in Colorado/Quebec franchise history. MAKAR'S MARKMakar became the third defenseman in team history to record three points in a period during a playoff game. On his 27th birthday, Avs forward Nico Sturm received a hard check in the second period that knocked him down.

Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews scored 22 seconds apart in a five-goal first period, sending the Colorado Avalanche to a 7-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Marc-Andre Fleury may have been the biggest winner at the NHL trade deadline.

Seven members of the Sharks and coach Bob Boughner were placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Saturday, delaying the start of San Jose’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.