Mile High Sticking
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Colorado Avalanche Decade in Review: 20 Memorable Moments

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 30: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Florida Panthers with his bench at the Pepsi Center on October 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Panthers defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 30: Joonas Donskoi #72 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates a goal against the Florida Panthers with his bench at the Pepsi Center on October 30, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Panthers defeated the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – APRIL 30: Nino Niederreiter (22) of the Minnesota Wild reacts after he scored the game-winning goal in overtime past Semyon Varlamov (1) of the Colorado Avalanche. The Colorado Avalanche fell 5-4 to the Minnesota Wild in game 7 of their Stanley Cup Playoff series at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, April 30, 2014. (Photo by Karl Gehring/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

9. Memorable Moment: Colorado Avalanche Lose Game 7

Those of us who were caught up in the heady atmosphere of the Golden Why Not Us season — and what Avs fan wasn’t — was sure the Avalanche would make a deep playoff run. Heck, the Avs could win the Stanley Cup! Our Hockey Hall of Famers were at the helm, and we were back in the glory days.

And then there was the ping that was heard ’round Avs Nation. Colorado was hosting the lowly Minnesota Wild, an upstart team that just wouldn’t go away. They even forced a Game 7, though that was in Pepsi Center, of course.

The bad ping, worst of all pings really:

The fact that the game even got to overtime was stressful enough. Then, to have our triumphant return to the glory days ended in such an unceremonious way… well, it’s created a hate for the Minnesota Wild that persists in many of us to this day.

This hate is nothing like the spirited rivalry with Detroit Red Wings. This is a hate born of hot rage and disappointment. We can remember the Wings rivalry with fondness. But that single ping, followed by a couple seasons of being raked over the coals by the Wild, has left so many of us with a persistent bitter taste in our mouths.

Personally, I will always celebrate any misfortune that falls about that hated Minnesota team.

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