FAN MADE STANDS SERIES

Louis in 2019 and other previous champions who missed their first opportunity to close out the final and then shut the door and raised the Cup the next time out. They can also look at Tampa Bay the past two years, St. One source of confidence for the Avalanche is their road success this postseason: 8-1, including a win and a loss at the Lightning. ThereвЂ™s no bigger test than needing to cap it off on the road in Tampa.

He was glad the Lightning stood in ColoradoвЂ™s way of winning the Cup because it was a fitting test of a champion. Star center Nathan MacKinnon echoed that sentiment before the final started.

ItвЂ™s not supposed to be easy, and itвЂ™s not going to be.вЂќ вЂњWeвЂ™ll bounce right back,вЂќ captain Gabriel Landeskog said, pointing to the importance of having a short memory in the playoffs. But previous playoff disappointments have steeled this core group to handle adversity, and in the immediate aftermath of their 3-2 loss in Game 5, leaders were already putting it in the rearview mirror. вЂ¦ And experience matters.вЂќДЇreshest for the Avalanche is the painful experience of blowing the chance to join the Lightning as the only teams over the past seven years to win the Cup at home. вЂњThereвЂ™s no doubt weвЂ™re better equipped in these situations because you kind of feel (like) you put yourself in the shoes of the other teams, too, and what they must be thinking, what youвЂ™re thinking when youвЂ™re in these situations and how games played out,вЂќ Cooper said. Having already staved off elimination once, and armed with the experience of winning 11 consecutive series, coach Jon Cooper and his team know exactly what to expect from each side in Game 6.

FAN MADE STANDS SERIES

The Eastern Conference final was the first time they trailed a series since getting swept in the first round in 2019 вЂ“ the defeat that set the course for this run вЂ“ and had not fallen behind 3-1 until now. The Lightning know all about those mental gymnastics, including some new tricks theyвЂ™ve picked up this postseason. вЂњThereвЂ™s a certain amount of stress and anxiety that you have to try to put out of your head so you can bring your best performance.вЂќ вЂњI know how much our guys want it now: TheyвЂ™ve worked for it,вЂќ coach Jared Bednar said. And it even has a recipe for handling this situation against a more seasoned playoff opponent. You have to be desperate every single game.вЂќД¬olorado would desperately like to avoid a second consecutive loss that sets up Game 7 back home Wednesday and Tampa Bay being one victory away from a three-peat. вЂњYou canвЂ™t look at the amount of games that we have left. вЂњYou have to have that desperation because itвЂ™s the finals,вЂќ Manson said Saturday in Denver before flying to Tampa. Trying to win their first championship as a group and the organizationвЂ™s first since 2001, the Avalanche know the immense challenge they have in front of them against a desperate opponent that has more experience this deep into the playoffs. That didnвЂ™t happen, and now he and his teammates are confronted with Game 6 Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the arena they hoisted the Cup a year ago to become back-to-back champions.

(AP) вЂ“ Josh Manson still had his bags half-packed from the Colorado AvalancheвЂ™s last time on the road, when they returned home with the chance to win the Stanley Cup. Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson, left, and Tampa Bay Lightning center Ross Colton vie for the puck during the third period of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, Friday, June 24, 2022, in Denver.

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