Avalanche raise Stanley Cup banner, start title defense with win

The Colorado Avalanche’s dream 2021-22 season ended with the organization’s third Stanley Cup championship and on Wednesday the team raised their banner at the Ball Arena. The

Avalanche team received their championship rings on Monday. The season began against the Chicago Blackhawks .. But not before Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus led the fans in singing “All The Small Things,” the song that was a rallying cry for fans last season.

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Gabriel Landeskog hoisted the Stanley Cup and skated with the trophy and fans roared as the banner was raised to the rafters.

Colorado Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog hoists the Stanley Cup for fans before the championship banner was lifted to the rafters at the team’s NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Denver.
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

“I got pretty emotional actually when they’re doing the video beforehand,” defenseman Jack Johnson said. “Someday I will be able to bring my grandkids and my kids, if they don’t believe that my dad played, and show them. “

Johnson is currently a Blackhawks player. He was last season on the Avalanche.

Then, it was all business.

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Colorado Avalanche center Nathan McKinnon congratulates goaltender Alexandar George after the team’s 5-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Denver.
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Arrturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin scored two power-play goals. Andrew Cogliano scored the other goal, Mikko Raantanen had four assists, and Nathan MacKinnon added two assists. The Avalanche won with 5-2.

” Our championship team is in rafters forever,” Rantanen stated. “You don’t think about it much (now), but I believe we will appreciate it later. “

Now Colorado will seek to secure back-to -back titles. Since 2005, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins have accomplished the feat.

Members of the Colorado Avalanche pose with the championship banner before it was lifted into the arena on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Denver.
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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“Raising that banner, I only think it’s going to motivate us more to do it again,” Colorado star Cale Makar said. It’s going to be a great motivator for us to get on the ice again together, knowing that we all did it together. “

The Associated Press contributed to this report.