Cale Makar (8) of the Colorado Avalanche during morning skate before Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken in the the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. Makar was suspended for Game 5 for a hit on Jared McCann at Climate Pledge Arena on Monday night. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) skates during warmups before Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche takes the ice for Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) of the Colorado Avalanche and Jaden Schwartz (17) of the Seattle Kraken get tangled up in the first period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche takes the puck up ice against Eeli Tolvanen (20) of the Seattle Kraken in the first period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) of the Colorado Avalanche and Adam Larsson (6) of the Seattle Kraken chase the puck in the first period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar watches the action in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs against the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Tye Kartye (52) of the Seattle Kraken, center, celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche with teammates Matty Beniers (10), left, and Will Borgen (3) in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Alexandar Georgiev (40) of the Colorado Avalanche, Alex Wennberg (21) of the Seattle Kraken and Erik Johnson (6) of the Colorado Avalanche in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche scores a goal against Philipp Grubauer (31) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. Jamie Oleksiak (24) of the Seattle Kraken skates on the play. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Colorado Avalanche and Lars Eller (20) celebrate Nathan MacKinnon's goal against the Seattle Kraken in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. Will Borgen (3) of the Seattle Kraken skates away from the celebration, Devon Toews (7) of the Colorado Avalanche joins the celebration. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Josh Manson (42) of the Colorado Avalanche takes the puck along the boards against Yanni Gourde (37) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Colorado Avalanche and Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) of the Seattle Kraken skate after the puck in the third period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Jaden Schwartz (17) of the Seattle Kraken,and teammate Alex Wennberg (21) celebrate Morgan Geekie's goal (67) against the Colorado Avalanche in the second period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. Ben Meyers (59) of the Colorado Avalanche skates past. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) of the Colorado Avalanche is hit by Adam Larsson (6) of the Seattle Kraken in the second period of Game 5 in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Evan Rodrigues (9) of the Colorado Avalanche and Vince Dunn (29) of the Seattle Kraken have a few words for each other in the third period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Lars Eller (20) of the Colorado Avalanche heads up ice with the puck against Alex Wennberg (21) of the Seattle Krakenin the period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Mikko Rantanen (96) of the Colorado Avalanche falls as Yanni Gourde (37) of the Seattle Kraken takes the puck up ice in the third period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
From left to right, Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) of the Seattle Kraken, and teammates Yanni Gourde (37), Carson Soucy (28) and Justin Schultz (4) celebrate Gourde's goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the third period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche sends the puck around the boards against Jamie Oleksiak (24) of the Seattle Kraken in the third period during Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Jamie Oleksiak (24) of the Seattle Kraken greets goaltender Philipp Grubauer (31) after defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 winning Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche reacts after losing Game 5 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs against the Seattle Kraken at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
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Cale Makar (8) of the Colorado Avalanche during morning skate before Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken in the the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver on April 26, 2023. Makar was suspended for Game 5 for a hit on Jared McCann at Climate Pledge Arena on Monday night. (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 Kraken pushed the Avalanche to the brink of first-round elimination Wednesday night with a punishing 3-2 win at Ball Arena. Seattle leads the series 3-2.
The Avs have lost all four playoff Game 5s in the past three seasons, a streak dating back to the 2020 pandemic bubble. Their current core has also never won a Game 7, but it will have to this year if Colorado wants to advance its Stanley Cup title defense beyond the first round.
Game 6 is Friday night in Seattle.
