Colorado Avalanche fan Max Phua, 12, high-fives-fans before coming onto Ball Arena in Denver before the Avalanche played the Seattle Kraken for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Tony Pham holds his daughter, Alyssa, 14-months, while they have their picture taken along with his wife, Linda, with Colorado Avalanche mascot Bernie at Ball Arena in Denver before Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Joham Munk, right, takes a picture of his friend Ed Apelo before the Avalanche played the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Josh Manson (42) of the Colorado Avalanche skates during warmups before Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs against the Seattle Kraken in Denver on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Pregame ceremonies before the Colorado Avalanche played the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Cale Makar (8) of the Colorado Avalanche tries to collect the puck in front of Jaden Schwartz (17) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period at Ball Arena in Denver for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. Ben Meyers (59) of the Colorado Avalanche skates around the play. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Justin Schultz (4) of the Seattle Kraken poke checks J.T. Compher (37) of the Colorado Avalanche in front of Philipp Grubauer (31) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period at Ball Arena during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche shoots towards the goal against Vince Dunn (29) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Colorado Avalanche scores a goal against Philipp Grubauer (31) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period at Ball Arena during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his goal against Philipp Grubauer (31) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period at Ball Arena during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche makes a race against Alex Wennberg (21) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. Logan O'Connor (25) of the Colorado Avalanche defends on the play. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Logan O'Connor (25) of the Colorado Avalanche and Vince Dunn (29) of the Seattle Kraken crash the boards in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
J.T. Compher (37) of the Colorado Avalanche skates the puck past Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche makes a saves against the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Josh Manson (42) of the Colorado Avalanche and Morgan Geekie (67) of the Seattle Kraken tangle mid-ice in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs against the Seattle Kraken on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Alex Wennberg (21), top right, of the Seattle Kraken celebrates his goal against Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche with teammate Jaden Schwartz (17) and Morgan Geekie (67) in the second period at Ball Arena during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. Josh Manson (42) of the Colorado Avalanche skates past. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) of the Colorado Avalanche crashes into Philipp Grubauer (31) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver during Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Will Borgen (3) of the Seattle Kraken and Devon Toews (7) of the Colorado Avalanche crash into each other chasing down the puck in the third period at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Morgan Geekie (67) of the Seattle Kraken celebrates his goal against Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche with teammates Alex Wennberg (21), center, and Justin Schultz (4) in the third period at Ball Arena in Denver for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. J.T. Compher (37) of the Colorado Avalanche skates past. The Avalanche lost 3-1. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Jaden Schwartz (17) of the Seattle Kraken greets goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) after defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 at Ball Arena for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
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Colorado Avalanche fan Max Phua, 12, high-fives-fans before coming onto Ball Arena in Denver before the Avalanche played the Seattle Kraken for Game 1 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
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By Andy Cross | across@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
Getting your player ready...
The Seattle Kraken proved to be more than plucky Tuesday night at Ball Arena, stealing Game 1 of the playoffs 3-1 from the Avalanche. It completed an underdog sweep to ring in the playoffs: All four higher-seeded teams in the Western Conference lost Game 1 at home.
Colorado had won six consecutive playoff series Game 1s dating back two years. And the defending champions entered this postseason on a blistering eight-game point streak to win the Central Division and earn the Seattle matchup. But the wild card Kraken pounced early in the first and second periods, and the Avalanche couldn’t cash in on two power play opportunities while trailing.
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