Last night in Tampa, the Colorado Avalanche got the tying goal from Nathan MacKinnon and the go ahead to stay/last goal and most of all Stanley Cup winning goal from Arturri Lehkonen in a (2-1), game 6 win that gave the ‘Lanche their first title since 2001.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 of 23 shots (the great Steven Stamkos “opened” for the Lightning, still on a great run having won 2 titles, made 4 final rounds and 7 semis in a twelve year period (2011-2022), for the Avalanche, who are now (3-0) in final round play. (Only the Bulls (6-0) have a better final round mark and they last made a final in 1998).
It is the first time both the NBA and NHL final rounds ended with game 6 title clinchers won by the road team in 74 possibilities (1947-2022 with no NHL season in 2005 and only antiseptic, “bubble play” in 2020, when I believe, “technical” road teams the Lakers and Lightning secured titles with game 6 wins).
Colorado went (16-4) in the ‘offs, (9-1) on the road, clinching all 4 series there. Cale Makar won the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The Avalanche, (logo above) nee the Quebec Nordiques, join the Baltimore Orioles nee St. Louis Browns (their last crown was in same calendar 1983) and New Jersey Devils (originally the Kansas City Scouts, but coincidentally their last pre Devils location was Colorado, as the Rockies) as teams/franchises that not only changed cities/locales, but also nicknames, to gain a third title. (All 3 teams/franchises have 3 crowns, having won none in its previous location).
Ondrej Palat, who as cited here, after Tampa Bay advanced to the final with a game 6 win, had two goals in the last 90 seconds to win semis games 3 and 5 vs the Rangers, scored with 6:22 remaining in the third period, lifting the two time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning (3-2) at Colorado (Avalanche) forcing #6 in Tampa Sunday night. The ‘Lanche still lead the final three games to two.
Jan Rutta opened for T.B, which has not trailed in regulation time for 3 straight games after being routed in #2 and trailing in that tilt for nearly 58 minutes.
Nikita Kucherov scored on a 4 on 3 power play as the Lightning regained the lead in the second period.
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 35 shots for the Lightning, who are now (4-0) facing elimination since they were “shockwaved” out of the 2019 ‘offs, being swept in 4 straight, by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In more than two thirds of the 22 final rounds in this century/at least call it the “two thousands,” 15 times a team has staved off elimination at least once (it did not happen in ’02, ’07, ’10,’13,’15, ’17 and ’18).
Ondrej Palat, pictured above.
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Nazem Kadri returned to action and scored an overtime goal, many did not realize, lifting the Colorado Avalanche (3-2) in #4 and into a seemingly commanding three games to one NHL final round lead.
Colorado (2-1) in games 4 of NHL final rounds and likely to be (3-0) in final round entities came back from (1-0) and (2-1) deficits with tying goals by Nathan MacKinnon, his first of the series and Andrew Cogliano , in the second and third periods respectively.
Hopefully, but though “Col” is at least an eight plus to five favorite, I hesitate to say likely, the ‘Lanche, picked by the great Scotty Bowman to title, will wrap in 5, Friday night at home.
If they do so, the span between the if accomplished 5 game, Friday night, home title clincher of 8 years since Alec Martinez and the L.A. Kings won #5 on the aforementioned Martinez’ OT goal, will be one third the span of I guess the only other Friday night 5 game clincher, that one achieved by the Edmonton Oilers on the road at Boston in 1990.
Five was operative for Edmonton as it was their 5th crown in 7 seasons and was achieved without the presence of their great player, Wayne Gretzky, who had been dealt to L.A. (Kings).
Nazem Kadri, pictured above.
Tonight in Tampa, the Colorado Avalanche seek a (3-1) final round series lead vs the two time champion, Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was not quite as “easy as ABC, for ABC since “Col.” scored first for the third time in as many tilts, (Gabriel Landeskog “cashing” for his “first goal prop” backers for a second time in the 3 tilts— (I think it was the great Joan Baez, on a Dick Cavett Show that aired over 50 years ago, that I recently heard talk about her son Gabriel. Alas she talked of him being in a world of no war, but it was not to be!!), but Tampa Bay did ease (6-2) in #3, defying the “Monday game/final round leader increases its lead or titles” trend.
Only the 1985 Kansas City Royals have ever trailed (2-0) in both its leagues semi-final and title rounds and won both series to gain the crown. The Lightning trailed the New York Rangers (2-0) in games and by a (2-0) score in a home #3, but won the series in 6 games, winning 3 games by one goal.
I do have (unofficially) some notes on previous NHL final rounds when a (2-0) series became a (2-1) entity. It was done with pen and napkin, juxtaposed with the computers around me and in this world.
13 teams down (2-0) then (2-1) in a best of 7 NHL final (the first and this is the 83rd, was played in 1939 and there was no NHL season in 2005), won game 4 to get even, with four going on to title (twice the Montreal Canadiens did so (’66 and ’71 with their ’66 triumph the only one done by the “route” of 2 home losses to start the final) while the ’09 Penguins and ’11 Bruins also did so).
Eleven times a team down (2-0) and then (2-1) in an NHL final lost #4 and none of those teams won the final.
7/11 manifests as those 11 teams that fell down (3-1) in the above referenced situation, managed only an aggregate 7 wins the rest of those 11 series. The ’87 Flyers and ’06 Oilers did get to a 7th game before losing to the same franchise Oilers and Hurricanes respectively.
In fact, no NHL team has ever overcome a “straight” (i.e. a (3-1) deficit without it having been a (3-0) series deficit) (3-1) NHL Final deficit. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a (3-0) final round deficit and won the crown in game 7 vs the Detroit Red Wings, at home in game 7.
Patrick Maroon, bidding to be on a 4th straight title team, had a goal and an assist for the Lightning in their game 3 win.
This past weekend, three World Series rematches were played, one between two teams, the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox, who are now in the same league.
In 2005 the White Sox swept the Astros in 4 straight games. That is their lone title in 103 completed baseball seasons from (1918-2021, with no World Series or completed season in 1994). They have made just 3 World Series appearances in that span and just 2 in 101 seasons from (1920-2021).
Meanwhile the Astros have made three consecutive odd year World Series (winning in 2017, losing in 2019 and 2021) and their one other was the sweep at the hands of the White Sox.
The White Sox won their first two World Series (1906 and 1917) before losing the infamous 1919 W.S. and also the 1959 entity. Their win in 2005 gives them a (3-2) World Series record, Houston as cited is (1-3).
There have been four World Series meetings between the Boston REd Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, teams that met over the past weekend.
“St.Loo” won the first two, “rhyming” 7 game series wins in 1946 and 1967, with Harry “The Cat” Breechen and Bob Gibson, respectively, winning 3 World Series games for the Cardinals.
Boston won the last two, ending an 86 year title drought, sweeping the Cards in 2004 and 6’ing them in the 2013 Fall (Not so) Classic.
102 years ago the Cleveland franchise defeated the Dodgers, then in Brooklyn 5 games to 2 in the 1920 World Series that is best remembered for Cleveland’s Bill Wambsganss turning an unassisted triple play, in game 5 of that best of nine series.
Bill Wambsganss, pictured above.
The Colorado Avalanche, (2-0) in previous NHL final round play, eased to a (7-0) win over the two time defending champion, Tampa Bay Lightning in game 2, to take a (2-0) lead in the 2022 NHL final round series.
Valeri Nichushkin, who had the big assist on what likely will be the series most important play, the Andre Borakovsky Overtime goal in game 1, had 2 goals in #2, “opening” early, with Borakovsky getting an assist.
Again the Avalanche had 3 first period goals and this time there was no “T.B.” comeback.
In the game 2 rout, “Col,” winners of 7 straight games, (14-2) in the ‘offs, (Pk in #3 in a bid to be (6-0) on the road in these ‘offs and now over 5 to 1 series favorites–the “Col” beats T.B. “exact result” was plus 270 when Col led Edmonton (3-0) and the Rangers led T.B. (2-1) in the semis–mirrors, tooth pain and missed “opps”) also got goals from Josh Manson (made it (2-0) and he has had some big Avs goals in these ‘offs), Borakovsky (3-0), Darren Helm (5-0) and “see” his “qtr” series clincher vs the Blues, the ’19 champs, who have handed the very likely 2022 champions their only 2 losses of these ‘offs and then 2 “garbage time” tallies from Cale Makar.
Meanwhile Darcy Kuemper needed only 16 saves to record his first shutout of these playoffs.
Valeri Nichushkin, pictured above.
Tonight is game 2 of the 2022 NHL final with the home team, Colorado Avalanche seeking a “hold serve” (2-0) series lead vs the two time champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
The ‘Lanche rode Andre Burakovsky’s overtime goal, scored within 2 minutes of overtime (they had to get the affiliates to the “bleed it leads” local news) to a (4-3) series opener win.
I will have more but for now it is safe to say that a game 1/Cup final overtime win augurs well for the Avalanche, at least historically, as almost every team that won a best of 7 final round opener in overtime prevailed in the series to take the crown.
Andre Burakovsky, pictured above, also had goals 2 and 3 for the eventual champion Washington Capitals in game 7/semis, also vs Tampa Bay (Lightning).
What a great run and it continued this season with at least a final round appearance, this has been for the Lightning!
The Golden State Warriors won their fourth NBA title in the last eight seasons, completing a 6 game triumph, vs the Boston Celtics with a (103-90) win at Boston last night.
The great player, Steph Curry hit for 34 points (his “reverse the digits,” 43 points in #4 was the series defining moment) in the clincher and was named Final Round Series MVP for the first time.
Andrew (for the second time, this Andrew watched most, even any of the game and was pretty much “ok,” with lead announcer, Mike Breen except when he said “a long way to go or was it plenty of time?” with G.S. up 12 points with 2 minutes to play) Wiggins had another good game, scoring 18 points while Jordan Poole added 15.
It is the 7th title for the Warriors franchise, moving past the Bulls (6-0) in final rounds– (seems they had a player named Jordan, but unlike Poole and Baker in “Gatsby,” I “think” Jordan is his last name) for third place, behind the Celtics and Lakers, who remain tied with 17 crowns apiece.
G.S. went on a (21-0) run to lead by 15 in the second quarter and the closest Boston (now (17-5) in title rounds, got was behind 8 points.
The Warriors are (7-5) and the Celtics are (17-5) in final round play. However, Boston which once had 16 of the NBA’s 40 crowns, have won but one in 36 seasons, the drought sadly related to the tragic death of Len Bias, a Celtics draft pick with great ability, who died just after the ’86 Boston title.
The one and only Al “Grampa” Lewis pointed out on my show within a few years later, that Bias’ death was a “death blow” to Celtics’ success, but this title drought, which when related to loss of life, is in perspective, however, also in diametric opposition to past Celtics’ greatness.
Speaking of loss of life, success, title success and perspective–hail Warriors coach, Steve Kerr who now has 9 NBA titles (5 as a player, 4 as a head coach-credit his assistant Mike Brown for the overall season and stepping in as head coach), spoke out vs senseless gun violence, up (3-0) vs Dallas in the semis and surely has much, if not all of this in perspective, with all he has experienced both good and bad on this planet.
Only Bill Russell, Sam Jones and Phil Jackson have more than 9 combined player/head coach NBA titles while Arnold “Red” Auerbach, involved in all 17 Celtics’ crown has 9 (all as a head coach) as well.
Finally, “only me,” as I cite no game was decided by less than 10points in the final round, it “cost” but a 7th game is avoided and the road/home/home/road/home/road configuration that manifested in the 2022 NBA final is the first such in the final round in NBA history.
Steve Kerr played on 3 straight title teams with the Bulls (’96-’98) and 2 with the Spurs in addition to now 4 coaching titles with the Warriors, who technically won their first San Francisco title last night.
Seven of the last 8 (the one other West Coast Warriors final ended with the Celtics home clincher in 5 vs the Warriors in ’64) Warriors’ final rounds, were clinched with road team victories, 5 by the Warriors and one each by the Cavs and Raptors.
The 2022 NHL Final, the first whose entirety will be telecast on over the air United States television (ABC, of course almost all the rest of both the NHL and NBA playoffs were NOT telecast over the air, in other words sans charge), begins tonight in Colorado with the home team Avalanche hosting the two time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
This is I believe, the 26th time in baseball, NFL, NBA and NHL annals that a 2 time defending champion has made the league final in a bid for a third straight crown. (Maybe a chart when the series is over. At this point noting 15 times, actually only 9 teams/franchises won a third straight title while 9 were denied in the final round).
The Yankees have thrice won as many as 3 straight titles, winning 5 straight (1949-1953, thus winning a third straight in ’51), 4 straight (1936-1939) and 3 straight (1998-2000).
Only one other baseball team and just one NFL team has won 3 straight titles. The Oakland Athletics won 3 straight titles (1972-1974) while the Green Bay Packers, the only NFL team to do so, by winning title games, did so from (1965-1967).
Five times in both NBA and NHL annals a team won 3 straight titles.
The Celtics, a current final round participant, (behind 3 games to 2 vs Golden State (Warriors) (17-4) in previous final rounds, won a major North American sports league 8 straight titles from (1959-1976).
Both the Lakers and Bulls have twice won 3 straight titles, (credit must go to Phil Jackson the only coach or manager to title 3 straight years more than once and he did so thrice).
The Minneapolis Lakers won 3 straight titles from (’52-’54) while Jackson guided the L.A. “version” to that feat from (2000-2002). Jackson guided the Bulls to 3 straight titles from (’91-’93) and then again from (’96-’98).
In the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens won 5 straight titles from (’56-’60) and 4 straight from (’76-’79).
The New York Islanders won 4 straight crowns from (’80-’83) while the Toronto Maple Leafs, currently without even a final round appearance for 54 completed NHL seasons (’68-2022 with no season in 2005) twice won 3 straight Cup crowns, doing so from (’47-’49) and again from (’62-’64).
I cited the 13 years apart teams the ’63 Yankees, ’76 Philadelphia Flyers and ’89 L.A. Lakers that were swept in final round play as they bid for a third straight crown.
7 other teams/times a team was denied in final round play, seeking a third straight title.
In baseball, it happened forty years before the Yankees failed in ’63, when in 1923 the Giants were beaten by the first of 27 Yankees’ title teams, in the first year of play at Yankee Stadium.
The Detroit Lions were denied by the Cleveland Browns in 1954 after winning the NFL title game vs those Browns in both ’52 and ’53.
Additionally, the Chicago Bears, who went on to win 4 titles in 6 seasons (’40-’46) playing in all but one of the 7 title games during that span, were denied by the Washington franchise in their bid for 3 straight titles in the 1942 title tilt. (“Chi” had annihilated “Wash” (73-0) in the ’40 title game).
In the NBA, the Spurs 5’d the two time champion Heat in the 2014 final. Also the Raptors denied the Warriors, a current final round participant in a 6 game final in 2019 after Golden State (Warriors) had titled in both 2017 and 2018.
A la the Browns/Lions, Montreal had lost a final to a Detroit team, the Red Wings 2 straight seasons, ’54 and ’55, however it was Montreal in 5 games in the ’56 final denying Detroit.
Meanwhile in 1967, the last Toronto Maple Leafs title team 6’d Montreal’s bid for a third straight crown in the final round.
Andy B Sports 