The Colorado Avalanche are going to the Stanley Cup Final, for the first time in 21 years.
Colorado defenseman Cale Makar (UMass) scored the game-opening goal and then set up four others, including the game-winner in overtime, as the Avalanche rebounded from a two-goal deficit to defeat the host Edmonton Oilers, 6-5, in Game Four of the NHL's 2002 Western Conference Final tonight. Colorado swept the best-of-seven series, four games to none.
The Avalanche are now 7-0 on the road in this year's playoffs. They had won Game Three on Saturday, 4-2, in Edmonton, with J.T. Compher (Michigan) scoring the game-winner in the third period, to take a stranglehold on the series.
Makar, 23, now has five goals and 17 assists for 22 points in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff contests so far this spring, and 12-41—53 points in 49 career NHL postseason appearances, all with Colorado, after being drafted fourth overall by the Avs in 2017 prior to beginning his college career. In his second and final season at UMass in 2018-19, the Calgary native led the Minutemen to their first-ever NCAA title game, and also won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation's top college player after tallying 16-33—49 points in 41 outings.
Dylan Holloway (Wisconsin) made his NHL debut tonight for the Oilers, and had one hit and was a plus-one in seven shifts. The 20-year-old Calgary native collected 19-33—52 points in two seasons at Wisconsin, and also helped the Badgers to the 2021 NCAA tournament before turning pro.
The Avs, who won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001 in their only previous Final appearances, will face the winner of this year's Eastern Conference Final between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. New York currently leads that series, two games to one.
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