Kraken hold off Avalanche in Game 7 victory, sending reigning Stanley Cup champions home

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and Philipp Grubauer was stellar in stopping 33 shots in the Seattle Kraken’s defeat of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 win in Game 7 on Sunday night.

The Kraken became the first expansion team to beat the Avalanche in their inaugural playoff series, according to NHL Stats.

Bjorkstrand scored one goal on a fortuitous deflection — the puck hit off a stick and glove — and another with a liner past goaltender Alexandar Georgiev that clanged off the post. 

Seattle grabbed the lead in every game in the series.

Next up for the second-year Kraken is a second-round series against the Stars that opens in Dallas on Tuesday night.

PANTHERS KNOCK TOP-SEEDED BRUINS OUT OF STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS WITH THRILLING OVERTIME VICTORY IN GAME 7

Mikko Rantanen was credited with a power-play goal for Colorado after a shot by Nathan MacKinnon clipped him and went in. MacKinnon appeared to score early in the third period to tie it at two, but Seattle challenged the play and the goal was disallowed because Colorado was offside.

The Avalanche pulled Georgiev with under two minutes remaining but couldn’t get the equalizer. It allowed the Kraken to accomplish another franchise first — a series-clinching celebration.

With Sunday’s loss, Colorado has now lost its last six Game 7s.