Colorado Avalanche: Best Moments of 2018

DENVER, CO - APRIL 16: Members of the Colorado Avalanche congratulate Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier (45) following a win after a first round playoff game between the Colorado Avalanche and the visiting Nashville Predators on April 16, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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DENVER, CO – APRIL 07: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with his teammates an empty net goal in the third period against the St Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center on April 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Mikko’s Bunny Hop

This moment is actually a big one, and the Mikko Rantanen bunny hop is the smallest part.

It all starts with the captain, Gabriel Landeskog, scoring a goal. It’s just an empty-net goal, but it’s one that puts the Avalanche up 4-2. Over the St. Louis Blues. In Game 82.

You may remember it took all the way until Game 82 for the Colorado Avalanche to seal their playoff berth. And this goal is the one that sealed the deal.

The Avalanche players knew it right away, too. Watch them pile onto Landeskog in celebration:

And at the end… the little bunny hop onto the pile. Mikko Rantanen didn’t want to be left out.

I love this moment particularly because it shows with what wild abandon we all felt. We had barely dared sustain our hope that the Avs would make the playoffs. But they did.

Mikko’s bunny hop is all of us in that moment.

Speaking of Mikko Rantanen…

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