Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 32: Avalanche push Oilers to the brink, lose Kadri to injury

Mike Gould
Mike Gould
Jun 5, 2022, 00:28 EDT
Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 32: Avalanche push Oilers to the brink, lose Kadri to injury
Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Avalanche have moved one step closer to qualifying for the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001.

The Avs defeated the Edmonton Oilers by a 4–2 score in Game 3 of the Western Conference on Saturday to take a commanding 3–0 series lead. Pavel Francouz made 27 saves in the win, with the Colorado players in front of him firing 42 shots on Oilers netminder Mike Smith.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid continued his outstanding playoff performance by scoring the game’s opening goal just 38 seconds into the first period. Zach Hyman and Darnell Nurse picked up the helpers on McDavid’s ninth goal of the 2022 post-season.

The superstar centre picked up a loose puck just inside the attacking blue line, darting between two Avalanche defenders before firing a quick wrister along the ice that slid between Francouz’s pads.

Less than a minute after McDavid’s goal, Oilers winger Evander Kane sent Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri crashing into the end boards in Edmonton’s zone with a check from behind.

Kane received a five-minute major for boarding on the play. Kadri left the game with an injury and did not return; Avs head coach Jared Bednar told reporters on Saturday evening that Kadri will miss “at least” the rest of the Western Conference Final.

After failing to convert on their five-minute power play, the Avalanche evened the score at one late in the first period.

Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin sent a pass toward the low slot in the offensive zone that caromed off the stick of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse before finding its way past Smith. Bowen Byram and Devon Toews received the assists on Nichushkin’s fourth goal of the playoffs.

Nichushkin struck again for Colorado early in the second period, this time finding the rebound of a long shot by Toews in the high slot and one-timing the puck past Smith to give the Avs a 2–1 lead.

Toews and Nathan MacKinnon logged the helpers on Nichushkin’s fifth of the playoffs, which came at the 4:37 mark of the middle frame.

The score remained 2–1 into the second intermission. Midway through the third period, Oilers forward Ryan McLeod knotted things back up at two with a long-range wrister that sailed past Francouz’s glove.

McLeod’s third goal of the playoffs (and his second of the series) was assisted by a pair of former Calgary Flames, Brett Kulak and Derek Ryan, and came with 12:26 to play in regulation.

The Avalanche regained the lead for good with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period.

Right after Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard found the iron behind Francouz with a well-placed wrist shot in the dying seconds of a power play, Avalanche forward J.T. Compher exited the penalty box.

Veteran forward and Avalanche trade deadline pickup Andrew Cogliano took control of the puck in the defensive zone and sent it softly up the boards for Compher to go chase. Compher outmuscled Bouchard to gain possession before beating Smith with a quick shot to make it a 3–2 game.

Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen sealed the deal for his team with an empty-net goal in the final minute of regulation. The Oilers’ only hope to win the Western Conference Final is now to become only the fifth team in NHL history to come back from a 3–0 series deficit.

Game 4 between the Avalanche and Oilers is slated to take place on Monday night at Rogers Arena in Edmonton.

MORE FACEOFF.IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER
Keep scrolling for more content!