Avs lose 2-1 against Kraken in Game 7

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, top, makes a stick-save of a shot by Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde, bottom right, who drives past Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, bottom left, in the first period of Game 7 of an NHL first-round playoff series Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

by: Colleen Flynn

Posted: Apr 30, 2023 / 10:18 PM MDT

Updated: May 1, 2023 / 08:27 AM MDT

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DENVER (KDVR) — It’s official. The Colorado Avalanche‘s season ended with a 2-1 loss at Ball Arena Sunday night.

The Avs forced a Game 7 in the best-of-seven series with a 4-1 win in Seattle on Friday night when forward Andrew Cogliano suffered a fractured neck. Although Cogliano returned to finish the game, the severity of his injury was not discovered until Saturday back in Denver.

Journeyman Brad Hunt, who had seen some ice time with the team during this season, was recalled from the Colorado Eagles for Game 7.

In addition to Cogliano being sidelined, the team was also missing Darren Helm, Josh Manson and Gabriel Landeskog due to injury, and Valeri Nichushkin has been gone for personal reasons.

Colorado’s woes from the regular season have not let up in the playoffs but the team has insisted it is not letting up as it has battled through the adversity of it all.

“We’ve moved past all the guys out of the lineup. You know, like that’s been going on for us all year,” head coach Jared Bednar said after Friday night’s win. “It’s about the 20 guys and their support from the other guys that aren’t playing and still around, but it’s the 20 guys that are getting ready to play.”

And the Avalanche got a surprise goal from one of those 20 guys who has been in that lineup the longest, defenseman Erik Johnson. He scored his first playoff goal and first one in 81 games.