Avs postseason ends with frustration, disappointment

The Colorado Avalanche played a solid Game 7 but it wasn't enough, and the Stanley Cup Champions got knocked out of the postseason in a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the playoffs.

Game 7 carries with it all the pressure. All the expectations. And for the Colorado Avalanche, it carried all the energy, in their favor being back at Ball Arena. But it wasn’t enough.

This series did not favor either team in either building, per se. The teams split the first two in Denver and split the second two in Seattle. Then the Kraken won Game 5 at Ball Arena and the Avs won Game 6 back at Climate Pledge Arena.

“Very disappointing, especially the way we played, I feel like. We emptied the tank, that’s for sure. We left our heart out there. Didn’t come our way,” Mikko Rantanen said. “I think we, played, created more chances, played better than them but sometimes in hockey, it doesn’t matter. Their goalie played well and (we) couldn’t find the back of the net. Obviously disappointing to end the season like this.”

The Kraken did what they’ve done throughout the entire series. They scored first. And then again, which ultimately was the game-winner. Both goals were scored by forward Oliver Bjorkstrand, with assists on both from linemate Yanni Gourde.

But the Avalanche rallied at the end of the second period on the first power play of the contest. Nathan MacKinnon ripped a shot from the circle that hit Rantanen and deflected past Philipp Grubauer.

With the assist, MacKinnon passed the 100-point mark in the playoffs joining only Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg in Avalanche history to achieve that feat.

“I thought we played a great game tonight,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “Just didn’t score on some of our chances. They got a lucky bounce on one, we made a mistake on another one, it’s a fine line.”

The Avalanche tried to keep up with the intensity throughout the third. It just wasn’t enough, and it wasn’t their time. A goal got called back for being off side, there were bad bounces and the team just couldn’t put another one in. Game over, Kraken win.

“Tough year overall. Obviously, during the season, we’re going to say all of the right things, but it’s hard missing the guys,” MacKinnon said. “I know it sounds like an excuse, but missing five, six guys from last year’s team, but definitely happy with the way we battled all season, even tonight. I thought we played a really great game, just couldn’t find the back of the net.”

The loss may have ended the team’s season, but it didn’t end their pride. The Avs were dealt a great deal of adversity throughout the season. And they weren’t about to make excuses.

“Some years, it’s a little tougher than others and this was a tough one,” Bednar said.

Tough is a bit of an understatement but the resilience of the team should be used as an experience and help build a stronger core for next season. And Bednar said he’s proud of his team for how they battled through it all year long.

“That’s why it’s so disappointing for me, it’s not frustrating at all, I went through that months ago. Disappointing because I wanted our guys like this group in the locker room to be able to advance and just keep fighting. Keep giving it their all, that’s what they did all year long,” Bednar said. “So I don’t have a bad word to say about those guys in there, they were great all year.”

Bednar said his team should feel good about the season and what they made of it with what they were dealt.

Georgiev’s first starting postseason may have ended sooner than he had hoped, but he’s already looking forward to the team getting some rest and getting healthy for next season.

“It’s such a tight group, and everybody supporting each other … we believed we had enough to go all the way, but things happen, and we gave it all and we’ll learn from that and be better next season,” Georgiev said after the game.

The Avalanche had the determination and grit and perseverance to get as far as they did, but it just wasn’t their year to hoist the Stanley Cup again.