Colorado Avalanche can still write storybook ending

Despite falling 3-2 in Game 5, the Colorado Avalanche still have two more chances to win the Stanley Cup.

After winning Game 4, the Colorado Avalanche were unable to win the Stanley Cup at home in Game 5 in front of their home crowd on Friday after falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The series is 3-2 for the Avalanche, and that just so happened to be the final score of the game.

The Avalanche and the referees let this game get away. There were some poor calls from the referees, even for both sides. However, the penalty for too many men on the ice late in the third period really sealed Colorado’s fate. It is hard enough to score while down a man. Add the pressure of already being behind with less than three minutes to play, and the stress increases.

Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper allowed what some view as a soft goal with less than seven minutes to go in the game, and that ended up being the game-winner for the Lightning.

The loss stings for Avalanche fans who went to this game expecting to see their favourite hockey team win and have the Stanley Cup stay in Colorado rather than have to travel down to Tampa. Fans will want the team to win no matter how they do it, but watching them win at home would be a thing of beauty.

They had it in their hands and just were unable to pull it off on Friday evening.

Ever since Game 2, in which they won by shutting Tampa Bay out 7-0, they just have not been able to get more than three goals in a game (which they have done only once since then). The Avalanche need to figure something out and hopefully they can close this series out.

For Avalanche fans, it would be awesome if they went into Game 7 and won the Stanley Cup at home on June 28th. That would be the storybook finish. After a long- gruelling season and postseason, they make it through seven games in the Stanley Cup Finals for a victory.

Fans who are watching at home, however, will want the Colorado Avalanche to win this thing on Sunday.