Colorado Avalanche beat writer
Bennett Durando
Bennett Durando joined The Denver Post in 2022 as the Colorado Avalanche and NHL hockey beat writer. He previously covered college sports in the SEC, first Mizzou for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Columbia Missourian, then Auburn for the Montgomery Advertiser. He is an 11-time Associated Press Sports Editors contest nominee and a two-time winner, including for best beat writing in 2022 while in Alabama. Born and raised in St. Louis, he is a graduate of Missouri.
Featured Stories

How Avalanche’s Evan Rodrigues won over Colorado hearts with pregame puck ritual with sons
Here's how there got to be a mountain of about 30 pucks sitting on Evan Rodrigues' kitchen counter.

The malleability of Cale Makar: From taking on bigger opponents to bigger ice time, Avalanche defenseman is different kind of All-Star
Little brothers often have to play dirty to win. Itap their natural instinct. Such was the case in the Makar front yard, where younger Taylor matched up with older Cale...

After expanding from Nuggets to Avalanche games, Celly Squad drummers revel in “rock star” status: “No one would treat me like this at my day job.”
The performers were setting up equipment. The players were taking their places, families in tow. They would all begin the parade route soon, but Andrew Brickman's day was made before...
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Nuggets vs. Lakers: Three keys to Game 4 as Denver aims for rare sweep of LeBron James
The Nuggets can sweep LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers. Here are three keys to winning Game 4 in Los Angeles.

Nuggets crush Lakers’ hopes with three greatest strengths, one at a time: “They’re a force. Tough for us to stop.”
LeBron James thought Denver's role players were the difference. Others were in awe of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. The beauty of Game 3? It was all three.

Nuggets 3-pointers: Nikola Jokic’s fourth quarter of Game 3 proves he can survive any slog or slump
The Lakers had a chance to pull away during a critical seven-minute stretch in the third quarter and instead couldn't even take a lead, thanks to Denver's role players.

How it happened: The Nuggets are up 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals over the Lakers
Live updates, tweets, photos, analysis and more from the Denver Nuggets' Game 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on May 20, 2023. Game...

🔊 Nuggets Podcast: Breaking down Denver’s 2-0 lead over the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals
In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat reporter Mike Singer is joined by sports reporter Bennett Durando to break down the first two games of the Western...

Nuggets vs. Lakers: Three keys to Game 3 victory in Western Conference Finals
Austin Reaves is suddenly the Lakers' most reliable closer? And the Nuggets look to get more offense from Aaron Gordon in Game 3.

Avalanche Journal: Free agent targets who make sense in Colorado’s cap space parameters without Gabriel Landeskog
Avalanche beat writer Bennett Durando's picks for the NHL's conference finals, now that his original Cup Final picks are toast.

LeBron James on Lakers facing 2-0 series deficit to Nuggets: “This is not the NCAA Tournament.”
LeBron James has trailed 2-0 in a playoff series eight times in his career. Five of those times, he has stretched the series to Game 7.

Nuggets 3-pointers: Anthony Davis disappears, Jamal Murray takes over in Game 2 win for Denver
While LeBron James fumbled fast breaks, Rui Hachimura kept the Lakers afloat off the bench with a perfect first half.

How it happened: Jamal Murray leads Denver past LA in Game 2 of Western Conference Finals
Live updates, tweets, photos, analysis and more from the Denver Nuggets' Game 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena in Denver on May 18, 2023.