The Colorado Springs Gazette final

Riding momentum wave, Avalanche look to close out Blues

BY GEORGE STOIA george.stoia@gazette.com

DENVER • The Colorado Avalanche are only one game away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals, and they know just how hard winning that game will be.

Colorado has a 3-1 series lead over the Blues in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs thanks to a 6-3 Game 4 win in St. Louis on Monday night. But now the Avs can do something they haven’t done since 2002: Reach the conference finals.

It’s been Colorado’s biggest hurdle recently, as the Avalanche have lost in the second round each of the past three seasons. And the Avalanche know the Blues aren’t going to lay down

Wednesday night at Ball Arena in Game 5.

“We’ve got to get ready to play our best game (Wednesday) against St. Louis,” coach Jared Bednar said Tuesday. “It’s a team facing elimination right now. We’re going to get their best game.”

The Avalanche have looked like the better team for the majority of the series, outshooting the Blues 149-108. And the Avs have especially looked crisp in the past two games after a poor performance in Game 2 at home.

With its two wins in St. Louis, Colorado is now 4-0 on the road in the playoffs this postseason.

“I think it’s just the road games are little bit different,” Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen said.

“You can play a little bit more — I always try to play the same way, but on the road, you don’t have the pressure from the home crowd. They kind of always expect you to play well at home and it’s not always that easy. So on road games, we’ve been finding a way to play simple hockey.

“It’s been a good last couple games, but the series is not over yet. It’s the first to four wins so we’re not satisfied at all yet.”

And that’s the exact mindset the Avalanche are hoping to have Wednesday, as they attempt to close out the Blues and advance to the conference finals for the first time in 20 years.

“They’re on the ropes now,” Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram said. “They’ve got their backs against the wall so we’ve got to be ready... We have a chance to clinch a series on home ice, so that’s a pretty big advantage for us, too. We’re just re-focused and getting ready for (Wednesday night).”

Perron fined for hit on Kadri

Blues forward David Perron was fined $5,000 for a hit on Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri

Monday night, the NHL announced Tuesday. Kadri, who scored three goals in Game 4, was a clear target for the Blues Monday, after an incidental hit on St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington in Game 3, which will keep Binnington out the rest of the series with a lower-body injury. Kadri maintains the hit was incidental, but has been the victim of racial slurs and death threats from fans.

“You never want to see anybody go through that,” Byram

said. “At the end of the day, it’s a hockey game. I don’t really see the need for any of that. I can’t say enough good things about Naz, the way he handled it and then, obviously, his play last night. It was really just truly a statement from him and also just a testament to his character. We all love him in the room. He’s an unbelievable guy. He’s a great teammate. He’s a leader on our team and we’re just so proud of him.”

The National Hockey League Players’ Association released a statement Tuesday condemning the hateful and offensive comments directed toward Kadri:

“The comments recently directed at Nazem Kadri online have no place in our society. Notwithstanding fans’ rooting interests during the highly competitive playoffs, such racist, hate-filled speech directed at anyone is completely unacceptable. Nazem and his family should never be subjected to the comments they have endured this week.”

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2022-05-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/282071985521237

The Gazette, Colorado Springs