Denver — When the Colorado Avalanche were down 3-0 midway through the third period of an elimination game, most folks had already written the obituary. Pack it up. Season's over. Time to go home.
But Nathan MacKinnon and his teammates didn't get the memo.
What happened over the final 16 minutes at Ball Arena was nothing short of playoff hockey at its absolute finest. The Avs scored three times in the final frame, with MacKinnon tying it with a snipe with just 1:23 remaining, then Brett Kulak won it 3:52 into overtime to complete the most dramatic comeback in franchise history since 1997.
"That's playoff hockey right there," MacKinnon said afterward, still trying to catch his breath. "We never stopped believing."
And why would they? MacKinnon has now scored in six straight playoff games, becoming the kind of force that makes you believe anything is possible. When you've got a player like that, you're never truly out of it.
The comeback started with Jack Drury tipping home a point shot to make it 3-2, then MacKinnon unleashed an absolute laser past Filip Gustavsson to send the building into pandemonium. In overtime, the Avs were relentless, and Kulak—a defenseman who's scored exactly one playoff goal all year—became the hero.
This was also the first time since April 20, 2008 that the Avalanche won a series-clinching game at home. That's 18 years, folks. Eighteen years of waiting for this moment.
"You dream about moments like this," said.
