Avalanche Put Wild on Brink of Elimination

Jack Drury (Harvard) set up the game-winning goal in the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche moved one step away from the Western Conference Final with a 5-2 victory at the Minnesota Wild last night. Colorado now leads the best-of-seven 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs series, three games to one.

Ross Colton (Vermont) put the Avalanche up, 2-1, in the final frame before Nico Sturm (Clarkson) tied matters less than three minutes later for the Wild. After Drury's heroics, Colorado closed out the contest with two empty-net goals, the second by Brock Nelson (North Dakota), and outshot Minnesota, 34-21, on the night.

Game Five and a potential clinching contest for the Avs is Thursday night in Denver.

Avalanche Sweep Kings in First Round

Cale Makar (UMass) and Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) both scored goals, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche topped the Los Angeles Kings, 5-1, on Sunday in Game Four of their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series. The Avalanche swept the best-of-seven Western Conference series in four games. 

Makar tallied two goals and one assist for three points over the four games, including the game-winning goal on Sunday, while also recording a plus-five plus/minus rating and 15 shots on goal. He now has 87 points in 83 career NHL postseason outings since making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in 2019.  Colorado outshot Los Angeles, 32-25, in the clinching contest, and also won 35 of 65 faceoffs in all.

Sunday's game also marked the final outing in the 20-year NHL career of Los Angeles captain Anže Kopitar, who retires as the Kings' all-time leading scorer with 1,316 regular-season points. A 14-time 20-goal scorer, he also led LA to its first-ever Stanley Cup championships, in 2012 and 2014.

UMass' Makar Wins Second Norris Trophy

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (Massachusetts) is this year's recipient of the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.

It is the second Norris Trophy ever for Makar, 26, who recorded 30 goals and 62 assists for 92 points during the 2024-25 campaign, the second straight season he has reached the 90-point threshold in his NHL career. He had previously won the award in 2022. Colorado went 49-29-4 this year, but fell to Dallas in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In six NHL seasons to date, Makar has notched 116-312—428 points in 395 regular-season games, all with the Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in 2017 after two years of junior hockey with Brooks (AJHL). He has also registered 22-63—85 points in 79 career Stanley Cup playoff contests, and was a key member of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup title team when he also claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy that spring as NHL playoff MVP.

Makar, who hails from Calgary, skated at UMass from 2017-19, notching 21-49—70 points in 75 total outings while helping the Minutemen to the 2019 NCAA championship game. In his second and final collegiate season, he won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player, and was also a First Team All-America selection.

Avalanche Stay Alive in Game 5 at Dallas

The Colorado Avalanche aren't done yet in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Cale Makar (UMass) scored two goals, including the game-winner, while visiting Colorado scored three times in the final 20 minutes en route to a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of their NHL Western Conference semifinal series tonight. Dallas still leads the best-of-seven series, three games to two.

Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota) scored early in the third period at American Airlines Center to give the Avs a 3-2 lead, their first of the series, off an assist by Zach Parise (North Dakota). Makar notched the game-winner unassisted less than three minutes later, to make it 4-2 at the time. For the Stars, Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) notched a goal and an assist, while Jake Oettinger (Boston University) made 22 saves.

Game 6 will take place in Denver on Friday night. If necessary, Game 7 will be held in Dallas on Sunday.

DU Pair Gets NHL Hat Tricks on Same Day

It was quite a day for two former University of Denver skaters on Saturday in NHL action.

Logan O'Connor tallied his first career hat trick, scoring the first and final goals of the contest, as the visiting Colorado Avalanche defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 7-4. The Missouri City, Texas native now has 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 45 games this season, and 33-46—79 points in 215 career NHL regular-season outings to date, all with the Avalanche. A member of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup championship team, O'Connor, 27, played for Denver from 2015 to 2018, notching 16-27—43 points over three seasons while winning an NCAA title with the Pioneers in 2017.

Danton Heinen, a former DU teammate of O'Connor's, notched his own three-goal effort on Saturday, including a power-play goal to end the game, as the Boston Bruins routed the visiting Montreal Canadiens, 9-4. The Langley, B.C. native has 8-9—17 points in 37 games with the Bruins so far this season, in his second stint with the club, and has accumulated 78-115—193 points in 450 career NHL regular-season appearances to date with Boston, Anaheim and Pittsburgh. Heinen, 28, collected 36-57—93 points in two years with DU (2014-16), and helped the Pioneers to the NCAA Frozen Four in his second and final collegiate campaign.

Colorado Avalanche Claims 2022 Stanley Cup

The Colorado Avalanche are the 2022 Stanley Cup champions. 

The visiting Avalanche overcame an early one-goal deficit to defeat the two-time defending NHL champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1, on Sunday night at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. Colorado won the best-of-seven series in six games.

It was the first time the Avalanche had won the Cup since 2001, when current general manager Joe Sakic was team captain. Colorado won its first Cup in 1996, less than a year after relocating from Quebec, when the Avs swept the Florida Panthers in four games, winning the decisive contest in triple overtime in Miami. 

Colorado's NCAA contingent this spring included Jack Johnson (Michigan), Erik Johnson (Minnesota), Devon Toews (Quinnipiac), Cale Makar (UMass), Andrew Cogliano (Michigan), Alex Newhook (Boston College), J.T. Compher (Michigan), and Nico Sturm (Clarkson). 

Makar, who had earlier won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman, was also honored Sunday night with the Conn Smythe Trophy, as NHL playoff MVP, after recording eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 20 games. He had three goals and four assists in the Final.

Makar, Connor Win NHL Awards

Two former NCAA players were honored earlier this month with season-ending National Hockey League individual awards for the 2021-22 campaign.

Cale Makar (UMass) of the Colorado Avalanche won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. He tallied 28 goals and 58 assists for 86 points in 77 outings with the Avs, and also registered a plus-48 in plus/minus rating.

Kyle Connor (Michigan) of the Winnipeg Jets claimed the Lady Byng Trophy, which is awarded for gentlemanly play. He posted 47-46⁠—93 points in 79 appearances with the Jets, while recording just four penalty minutes on the season.

Maker and the Avalanche will try again to close out the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight (8 p.m. ET, ABC, CBC) in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. Colorado leads the series, three games to two.

2022 Stanley Cup Final Starts Tonight

The 2022 Stanley Cup Final gets underway tonight in Denver, when the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche. Face-off for the NHL's marquee series is slated for 8 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Colorado's NCAA contingent includes Jack Johnson (Michigan), Erik Johnson (Minnesota), Devon Toews (Quinnipiac), Cale Makar (UMass), Andrew Cogliano (Michigan), Alex Newhook (Boston College), J.T. Compher (Michigan), and Nico Sturm (Clarkson). The Avalanche are seeking their first Cup since 2001.

Two-time defending Stanley Cup champion includes former collegians Brian Elliott (Wisconsin), Alex Killorn (Harvard), Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin), and Ross Colton (Vermont). Tampa Bay has won 11 straight Stanley Cup Playoff series since the start of the 2020 postseason.

Avalanche Win NHL's Western Conference Final

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.

Makar Boosts Avs Over Oilers in Opener

Cal Makar (UMass) scored a goal and set up three others as the Colorado Avalanche won the Western Conference Final opener, 8-6, over the visiting Edmonton Oilers last night. Colorado leads the best-of-seven series, one game to none, with Game Two slated for Thursday night in Denver.

Makar boosted the Avalanche to a 3-2 lead late in the first period, scoring on a play that was subsequently examined for a potential offside infraction, but which held up as a legitimate goal after video review. Colorado would eventually take a 7-3 lead before the Oilers came storming back in the last half of the contest, getting within one goal before the Avalanche scored into an empty Edmonton net.

Makar, 23, was selected fourth overall by the Avs in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He has registered 48 goals and 132 assists for 180 points in 178 career NHL regular-season appearances, all with Colorado, and also has 11 goals and 47 points in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff outings to date.

Makar, from Calgary, played two seasons at UMass, recording 21-49—70 points in 75 games over two seasons. He also led the Minutemen to their first-ever NCAA championship game in 2019, just before he turned pro, and just after he won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player. The following season, he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Michigan's Compher Helps Avs Oust Blues

J.T. Compher (Michigan) scored two goals, and the Colorado Avalanche added another with less than six seconds remaining in regulation to edge the host St. Louis Blues, 3-2, in a Stanley Cup Playoff contest. Colorado wins the best-of-seven second-round series, four games to two.

Compher pulled the Avalanche into 1-1 and 2-2 ties with his pair of goals. The first came just over five minutes into the second period, while his second came midway through the third stanza on a power play and was assisted by Devon Toews (Quinnipiac). Erik Johnson (Minnesota) then assisted on Darren Helm's winning goal with time winding down to send Colorado to its first conference final in exactly 20 years.

Compher, 27, from Northbrook, Ill., has 71 goals and 71 assists for 142 points in 341 NHL regular-season games, all with Colorado, to go with 10-13—23 points in 53 career Stanley Cup Playoff outings with the Avalanche. He played three seasons at Michigan (2014-2016), where he recorded 39-79—118 points in 107 appearances. He also helped the Wolverines to a Big Ten playoff title and NCAA tournament berth in his final campaign, when he led them with 47 assists.

Colorado will now face Edmonton, a five-game series winner over Calgary, in the Western Conference final.

NCAA Players Shine at NHL's Lake Tahoe Weekend

The 2021 NHL Outdoors weekend at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada has come and gone, with more than a few former NCAA players making their marks both nights.

On Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche edged the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2. The game was postponed for nearly 10 hours following the daytime first period, due to the sun adversely affecting ice conditions. A shot by Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) from the left point with less then seven minutes remaining in regulation after the restart stood up as the game-winner for the Avalanche, who wore retro reverse jerseys that honored the franchise's previous incarnation as the Quebec Nordiques. Toews also had the lone assist on Colorado's second goal of the game.

Alex Tuch (Boston College) got Vegas back within a goal on his backhand shot in close with 5:35 left, but the Golden Knights couldn't garner the equalizer in the time left. Alec Martinez (Miami) also scored for Vegas.

On Sunday evening, James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) tallied one goal and set up two others, but his Philadelphia Flyers fell, 7-3, to the Boston Bruins. It was Boston's fifth win over Philadelphia so far this season in five meetings.

Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) and Charlie Coyle (Boston University) both tallied goals for Boston, with Coyle's second-period score standing up as the game-winner. Trent Frederic (Wisconsin) scored his first career NHL goal for the Bruins, who also got two assists apiece from Connor Clifton (Quinnipiac) and Craig Smith (Wisconsin).

Joel Farabee (Boston University) scored Philadelphia's first goal, while Kevin Hayes (Boston College) notched two assists. Brian Elliott (Wisconsin) stopped 12 of 13 shots on goal in the final period for the Flyers, after entering the game in relief. Boston outshot Philadelphia, 35-19, overall for the night.

There were no spectators present at either Lake Tahoe contest due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The two games were the 32nd and 33rd, respectively, in the NHL's modern outdoor series of matches that dates back to the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton.

Makar Makes Solid NHL Debut with Avalanche

Cale Makar (UMass) jumped to the NHL with a definite bang.

Less than 48 hours after the University of Massachusetts fell, 3-0, to defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth in the 2019 NCAA championship game in Buffalo, Makar signed a three-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Two days before, he had been awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey.

On Monday night in Denver, with his parents in attendance, Calgary native Makar took a back pass, fought off a defender, and then whipped a shot between the pads of Calgary goaltender Mike
Smith for the Avalanche's third goal in a 6-2 rout of the Flames in Game Three of their best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoff first-round series. Colorado now leads the series, two games to one.

Makar, who played just over 14 minutes in all on Monday night, finished his two-year college career at UMass with 21 goals and 49 assists for 70 points. He was also named the 2019 Hockey East Player of the Year, and was a 2019 First Team East CCM Hockey All-America selection, as he led the Minutemen to a school-record 30 victories, an NCAA Northeast Regional title, and their first-ever Hockey East regular-season championship. He was also a member of Canada's gold-medal winning team at the 2018 World Junior Championship in Buffalo.

Denver's Butcher to Join Devils

Will Butcher is going from Denver to the Devils.

The 2017 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner as the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey this past season, Butcher has signed a two-year contract with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils worth approximately $925,000, as reported at NJ.com. A Wisconsin native who was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round in 2013 just before enrolling at the University of Denver, he eschewed his drafting club to sign with New Jersey as a free agent.

Butcher scored seven goals and added 30 assists for a career-high 37 points in 43 outings in 2016-17 as Denver won its eighth NCAA hockey championship overall, and first since 2005. He also earned All-America honors on defense for the second consecutive season. In 158 career appearances with the Pioneers from 2013 to 2017, Butcher registered 28-75—103 points, including 15 power-play goals and four game-winners, according to USCHO.com, and helped DU to four NCAA Tournament appearances. He prepped with the U.S. National Team Development Program for two seasons prior to joining the Pioneers.

Alexander Kerfoot of Harvard, a forward who was drafted by the Devils in the fifth round in 2012, has instead signed with the Avalanche as a free agent. Kerfoot, who last year captained the Crimson to its first NCAA Frozen Four appearance since 1994, recorded career highs of 16-30—46 points and eight power-play goals in 37 contests as Harvard claimed both the ECAC regular-season and tournament titles. He finished with 36 goals and 124 points in 122 career games, and also helped Harvard to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths over his final three campaigns.

Devils Fall Despite Palmieri Goal

Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) scored the only goal for the New Jersey Devils in their 2-1 loss Tuesday night to the Colorado Avalanche at the Prudential Center in Newark. Cory Schneider (Boston College) made 23 saves for New Jersey, which fell to 12-10-2 overall.

Erik Johnson (Minnesota) and Jack Skille (Wisconsin) had assists for the Avalanche, who took a 2-0 lead in the second period. The two teams combined to go 0-for-5 on the power play.

The third-period goal by Palmieri, a New Jersey native, was his ninth of the campaign, and was set up by linemate Travis Zajac (North Dakota). Schneider is now 11-7-0 on the year for the Devils, who sit in ninth place in the NHL's Eastern Conference, one point out of a playoff position. Colorado improved to 10-14-1.

Jones, Hunwick Team Up on OT Goal as Avs Beat Blues, 1 -0

A pair of former NCAA players teamed up late Wednesday night to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 1-0 victory over the visiting St. Louis Blues.

Former University of Michigan defenseman Matt Hunwick fed Dartmouth College alumnus David Jones for a wrist shot that eluded St. Louis goaltender Jarolsav Halak with 16.4 seconds remaining in sudden death. Colorado improved to 7-7-1, while St. Louis fell to 9-7-1.

Hunwick skated across the blue line on the left side and dropped the puck to Jones, who moved forward and then cut to his right before letting go from the top of the left circle and beating Halak on the glove side, just inside the juncture of the post and crossbar.

“I just went to the middle,” said Jones in a post-game interview with Brian Engblom of NBC Sports Network afterwards.  “I don’t know if it hit something, but it felt real good.”

The puck may have deflected off the stick of St. Louis defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, a former Boston University blueliner, but it still lifted the Avs to the win and gave Jones his first goal in 10 games.
Jones now has two goals and three assists for five points in 13 games with Colorado this year.

A ninth round draft choice of the Avalanche in 2003, the Ontario native played three years at Dartmouth where he collected 44 goals and 48 assists for 92 points in 100 contests from 2004 to 2007, and helped the Big Green to both ECAC and Ivy League titles. In 252 career NHL games, he now has 69-53—122 points, including a pair of 20-goal campaigns.

Hunwick played four years at Michigan, where he posted 24-73—97 points in 163 games from 2003 to 2007, and helped the Wolverines to four NCAA Tournament berths. He has collected 16-46—62 points in 259 career NHL contests, while his assist on Jones' goal was his first point in 11 games this season.