Avalanche vs. Kraken score: Seattle ends Colorado's title defense, wins franchise's first playoff series

The Kraken knocked off the defending Stanley Cup champions

In just their second season since becoming an NHL franchise, the Seattle Kraken have earned a playoff series win. On Sunday, the Kraken defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in Game 7.

In doing so, the Kraken became the first team in NHL history to earn their first series win against a reigning Stanley Cup champion.

Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand led the way for the Kraken as he scored two goals. In fact, Bjorkstrand's two goals came on consecutive shots in the second period to put the Kraken ahead 2-0.

At the 3:24 mark of the second period, Bjorkstrand threw the puck in front and it bounced off of multiple players. It made its way over Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev's shoulder for the goal to open the scoring. Just four minutes later, Bjorkstrand made his presence known yet again. He got ahead of the pack and scored on a scorching shot. Forward Eeli Tolvanen got the puck up to Bjorkstrand at the other end of the ice, and Bjorkstrand ripped a snap shot that clanged off the post on its way into the net.

Late in the second period, Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon had missed an opportunity on an open shot. However, he was able to make up for it just moments later. 

MacKinnon gave the puck off to defenseman Devon Toews then Toews handed it right back to MacKinnon. MacKinnon teed up a one-timer in the face-off circle and the puck deflected off of the body of teammate Mikko Rantanen before going past Philipp Grubauer.

Rantanen got credit for the goal and made it a 2-1 deficit in the final minute of the second period. Grubauer had stopped the first 26 shots that he faced prior to Rantanen's tally.

Nathan MacKinnon buried a one-timer off another pass from Devon Toews. However, Artturi Lehkonen was offside entering the offensive zone ahead of Toews, so the goal has been taken off the board.

Grubauer was sensational down the stretch as he stopped 33 of the 34 shots that he faced in Game 7 to beat his former team.

[Apr 30, 2023 at 9:30 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Mikko Rantanen has paced the Avalanche with six goals in this series, and that is double the next highest scorers, Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon. On the other side, the Kraken have really leaned on their depth in this series. In total, 14 different players have scored for Seattle. Only nine players have found the back of the net for Colorado. These two teams have succeeded in very different ways.

[Apr 30, 2023 at 9:15 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

If the Kraken are able to go into Denver and eliminate the Avalanche, they will become the first team in NHL history to defeat the defending Stanley Cup champs for their first series win. They've already shown that they can go into Denver and win in a hostile environments with victories in Games 1 and 5. Does Seattle have another tremendous road performance in them?

[Apr 30, 2023 at 9:00 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

The Kraken are now the 10th team in NHL history to reach a Game 7 in their first ever playoff series. Teams in Seattle's position are 5-5 in those games. The last team to do that was the Minnesota Wild in 2003, when they did so against the Avalanche. Minnesota won that game and reached the Western Conference Finals.

[Apr 30, 2023 at 8:45 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

For the second straight season, the defending Stanley Cup champions will have to play a Game 7 in the first round. Last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs pushed the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Game 7, but the Bolts came out on top and rolled to their third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. Colorado is hoping it can replicate that.

[Apr 30, 2023 at 8:30 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

On Sunday, the Avalanche have to do something they haven't done since 2002 — win a Game 7. Colorado has lost its last five Game 7 matchups, and its last victory in a winner-take-all game was a 1-0 shutout of the San Jose Sharks to send the team to the Western Conference Finals. That was more than two decades ago, and the Avs must end their drought to keep their title defense alive.