Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and Philipp Grubauer was stellar by stopping 33 shots in the Seattle Kraken’s defeat of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 on Sunday night.
Kraken became the first expansion team to beat the Avalanche in their inaugural playoff series, according to NHL Stats.
Bjorkstrand scored once on a chance deflection (the puck hit a stick and glove) and another with a liner past goalkeeper Alexandar Georgiev that reverberated off the post.
Seattle took the lead in every game in the series.
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Yanni Gourde #37 of the Seattle Kraken advances the puck against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 30, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Next up for the second-year Kraken is a second-round series against the Stars that opens in Dallas on Tuesday night.
THE PANTHERS KNOCK OUT THE TOP-SEED BRUINS FROM THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS WITH A THRILLING OVERTIME WIN IN GAME 7
Mikko Rantanen was credited with a power play goal for Colorado after a shot by Nathan MacKinnon clipped it and went inside. MacKinnon appeared to score early in the third period to tie it at two, but Seattle challenged the play and the goal was disallowed because Colorado was offside.
Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the Colorado Avalanche tends the goal against the Seattle Kraken in the first period of Game 7 of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 30, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Avalanche pulled Georgiev with less than two minutes to go, but couldn’t get an equalizer. It allowed Kraken to achieve another franchise first: a series-closing celebration.
Oliver Bjorkstrand #22 of the Seattle Kraken celebrates scoring his second goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period of Game 7 of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 30, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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With Sunday’s loss, Colorado has now lost its last six Game 7s.