Kraken

 The Colorado Avalanche finally looked like defending Stanley Cup champions in Game 6 of the first-round playoff series against the Seattle Kraken. After a rocky start, Colorado dominated the final two periods of the game, winning 4-1 and forcing a Game 7 back home in Denver. Mikko Rantanen scored his seventh goal of the playoffs, tying the game at 1 after Seattle scored first, and Artturi Lehkonen added two goals, including an empty-net goal in the final seconds. Erik Johnson also scored his first playoff goal, and defenseman Devon Toews had two assists, as did Cale Makar after being suspended for Game 5.

For Seattle, Vince Dunn became the 14th different player to score a goal for the team this postseason when he slipped a slap shot past Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev in the first period. But Georgiev's night was mostly quiet, making only 22 saves. Seattle goalie Philipp Grubauer, on the other hand, faced a barrage of shots and finished with 35 stops, with some spectacular saves keeping the score from getting out of hand.

Game 7 will be the first in franchise history for Seattle and the first for the Avalanche since the second round of the 2020 playoffs in the bubble, where they lost to Dallas. It's a new opportunity for Seattle, who have been a good road team all year and have nothing to lose, according to Jordan Eberle.

Colorado played in its first elimination game since Game 6 of the 2021 conference semifinals, where they were eliminated by Vegas. One of the most impressive parts of Colorado's run to the Stanley Cup last year was its ability to control every series, but Seattle's win in Game 5 put Colorado in a precarious position. However, they responded with their most complete performance of the series in Game 6, playing their best game and getting rewarded for it.

Seattle has taken the lead in each of its first six playoff games in franchise history, a feat only matched by the 1918 Toronto Arenas, who took the lead in their first five playoff games. Colorado appeared to score the opening goal on a shot from Bowen Byrum, but the goal was overturned after Seattle successfully challenged for offside.

Seattle played without leading scorer Jared McCann for the second straight game, who was hurt on a check from Cale Makar in Game 4 that led to Makar's suspension. Matty Beniers was called for just the second penalty of his career on a tripping call in the second period.

The playoffs are a grueling test of endurance, skill, and mental toughness, and the Colorado Avalanche have had their fair share of challenges to overcome in their first-round matchup against the Seattle Kraken. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, the Avalanche entered the playoffs as one of the top teams in the league, but they quickly found themselves in trouble against a resilient and tenacious Seattle squad.

The Kraken won the first game of the series, and they took the lead in each of the first six games, becoming the first team in NHL history to accomplish this feat. Colorado was forced to play from behind for most of the series, but they refused to give up and rallied to win three of the next five games, including a dominant performance in Game 6 to force a Game 7 on home ice.

The Avalanche showed why they are the defending champions in Game 6, as they dominated the Kraken in all three zones and outshot them by a margin of 39-23. Mikko Rantanen scored his seventh goal of the playoffs to tie the game at 1-1 late in the first period, and Erik Johnson and Artturi Lehkonen each scored in the second period to give Colorado a commanding 3-1 lead.

The Avalanche defense was stout, holding the Kraken to just one goal and limiting their scoring opportunities throughout the game. Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Rantanen was once again a force to be reckoned with, as they combined for six points and led the team's offensive attack.

Despite being outplayed for most of the game, Seattle never gave up and kept fighting until the final buzzer. Vince Dunn scored the Kraken's lone goal of the game, and Philipp Grubauer made several spectacular saves to keep his team in the game.

Game 7 promises to be an intense and exciting matchup between two teams that are hungry for victory. For Seattle, it is an opportunity to make history and advance to the second round in their inaugural season. For Colorado, it is a chance to prove that they are still the best team in the league and are capable of winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.

The Avalanche will have the advantage of playing at home in Game 7, and they will look to use that to their advantage. However, they will need to stay focused and disciplined, as the Kraken are a dangerous team that can score at any moment.

It will be a high-pressure game with everything on the line, and the winner will move on to face the winner of the Minnesota Wild-Vegas Golden Knights series in the second round of the playoffs. For the Avalanche and the Kraken, it is a do-or-die situation, and only one team will emerge victorious.