AP

Avalanche sweep Oilers, advance to Stanley Cup Final

Jun 6, 2022, 8:21 AM | Updated: Jun 9, 2022, 11:32 am

Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (29) and Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrate a goal on Edmonton ...

Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon (29) and Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrate a goal on Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith (41) as Cody Ceci (5) defends during third period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)


              Colorado Avalanche's Devon Toews (7) is checked by Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29) during second period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz (39) is scored on by Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during second period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz (39) lets in a goal by Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during second period NHL playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, June 6, 2022. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz (39) reacts as Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) celebrates a goal during second period NHL hockey playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, June 6, 2022. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Colorado Avalanche goalie Pavel Francouz (39) lets in a goal by Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during second period NHL hockey playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, June 6, 2022. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)
            
              Colorado Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog (92), Artturi Lehkonen (62), Kurtis MacDermid (56) and Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrate a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during third period NHL hockey conference finals action in Edmonton, Alberta, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen is sending a team to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season.

Lehkonen scored 1:19 into overtime, and Colorado rallied to beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 Monday night, completing a four-game sweep in the Western Conference final and propelling the Avalanche into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2001.

Colorado will take on the winner of the Eastern Conference final between the New York Rangers and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers lead that best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday at Tampa Bay.

Lehkonen repeated his feat of last season, when he scored in OT in Game 6 to send the Montreal Canadiens to the final against eventual repeat champion Tampa Bay. He becomes the second player in NHL history, and first in 83 years, to score an overtime goal to send his club into the championship series more than once in his career. Toronto’s Gordie Drillon accomplished the feat in 1938-39.

“Cale (Makar) took the shot,” Lehkonen said. “I got a tip on it. It landed straight on my blade. I basically had an empty netter in front of me, so tap it in.”

Cale Makar, Devon Toews Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Colorado. Pavel Francouz stopped 30 of 35 shots.

“Our main thing is just trying to be resilient, making sure that every single night we bring that same game,” Makar said. “Sometimes it might not be pretty, but at the end of the day we’re just going to try to get the job done.”

Zach Hyman scored twice for the Oilers. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid and Zack Kassian also scored for Edmonton. Leon Draisaitl had four assists and goalie Mike Smith finished with 36 saves.

The teams combined for six goals in the third period — four by Colorado, which rallied from a 4-2 deficit despite being outshot 15-13.

“It was a great comeback win, for sure,” Lehkonen said. “We were talking in the second intermission that we just got to find our game and we can pull through this.”

Rantanen appeared to complete Colorado’s comeback, scoring a power-play goal with just over five minutes remaining to give the Avalanche a 5-4 edge.

But the Oilers stormed back and forced overtime when Kassian scored at 16:38 and tied it at 5-all. Lehkonen scored 1:19 into overtime, a goal that stood up after review for a high stick.

The Avalanche improved to 11-2 in the playoffs, including a perfect 7-0 on the road. Only six other teams in NHL history have strung together at least seven consecutive road victories in a post-season.

Colorado opened the scoring at 3:46 on a power play when Lehkonen stole the puck from Hyman and fed Makar before firing a shot through traffic and in off Smith’s left post for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

Trailing 1-0 after the first period, the Oilers got going at 7:39 of the second when Hyman took a pass from Draisaitl off the rush and beat Francouz with a backhand past the glove for his 10th goal of the playoffs.

Nugent-Hopkins gave Edmonton its first lead at 16:57 when Toews and MacKinnon got their signals crossed. The Oilers center jumped on the turnover and beat Francouz on another backhand move — this time to the blocker side — with his sixth as Draisaitl, playing with an injured leg, was getting treatment after hobbling to the bench.

Colorado rookie Alex Newhook was whistled for delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass late in the period, and Edmonton made the visitors pay when McDavid scored his 10th goal of the postseason, and 31st point, beating Francouz off another Draisaitl feed for a 3-1 lead with 1:06 left in the period.

McDavid and Draisaitl are the eighth pair of teammates in NHL history to each record 30 points in a playoff.

Colorado got one back 31 seconds into the third when Toews’ shot hit Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci in front as he was battling with MacKinnon. It was Toews’ fifth.

Hyman scored his second of the night and 11th overall on a 4-on-2 rush, sending a knuckling shot off a Draisaitl set-up past Francouz at 3:55 for a 4-2 lead.

Landeskog got Colorado back within one at 8:58 on a mad scramble in front after Smith turned the puck over.

Edmonton got a power play with under nine minutes to go looking to go back up by two, but Draisaitl’s shot off the side of Francouz’s goal was as close as the Oilers would get.

MacKinnon tied it with his 11th on a high shot Smith with 6:30 left in regulation, setting the stage for Rantanen’s go-ahead goal, his fifth of the playoffs.

But Kassian scored his second, firing home a puck in the crease after Draisaitl’s initial shot with 3:22 left.

Colorado got past the Oilers in four straight despite losing No. 1 goalie Darcy Kuemper and winger Andre Burakovsky to injury in Game 1, before Kadri went down Saturday. Kuemper returned to serve as the Francouz’s backup Monday.

NOTES: The Colorado Avalanche were without the injured Nazem Kadri. Kadri was hurt on an illegal hit by Edmonton’s Evander Kane in Game 3. Kadri didn’t return after Kane sent him crashing left arm-first into the boards 1:06 in, a hit that was reviewed and called a major penalty. Kane was suspended for Game 4 by the NHL. The Avalanche have not revealed what Kadri’s injury is or announced how long he’d be out. … The Oilers were also minus second-line winger Kailer Yamamoto for a third straight contest after he took a hit from Gabriel Landeskog in Game 2. … The Oilers were looking to become just the fifth team in league history to win a series after falling behind 3-0.

___

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Avalanche sweep Oilers, advance to Stanley Cup Final