That included Kadri — he admitted during a post-game interview with ESPN's Emily Kaplan that he initially hadn't known he'd scored — as well as the on-ice referees, who didn't immediately notice that the puck had actually gotten stuck in the net, entwined near the top and hiding in plain view. The sight of the Avs celebrating their victory while the officiating crew tried to figure out what the hell just happened was flat-out hilarious for residents of Avalanche country.
Lightning loyalists had a very different response. Afterward, they took to social media like an avenging army, decrying uncalled Colorado penalties down the stretch and declaring that Kadri's goal should have been waved off because the Avs had too many men on the ice.
Had the roles been reversed, Colorado backers would have been wailing the same laments, and understandably so, since the refs essentially swallowed their whistles as the clock ticked down, ignoring plays by the Avs and Lightning alike that could have resulted in trips to the penalty box. And there's no denying that the Avs were outplayed for a significant portions of the contest — particularly the last ten minutes of the third, when scoring chances were few and far between. But despite ice conditions that Kadri accurately deemed "garbage" (there's no shortage of dark suspicions that arena workers at Tampa Bay turned the surface into slush in order to slow down Colorado) and another soft goal allowed by beleaguered Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper (Victor Hedman owes him a thank you card), Kadri and company managed to cling to a 2-2 tie in regulation and absolutely dominated overtime.
Now up 3-1, the Avs can take the championship with a win on Friday, and Colorado is ready to go berserk one more time.
Continue to see our picks for the twenty most memorable tweets about what happened, capped by the hilarious tale of how an insult to Tampa Bay led to the culmination of true love.
Number 20:
The avs man. Crazy good https://t.co/2UTbDGa6EO
— Chris (@4realchris82) June 23, 2022
Number 19:
What the hell was that ref looking at when like all the Avs players were pointing at the puck in the netting
— kevin (@Bunkaroo) June 23, 2022
Number 18:
ME EITHER WHAT THE HELL
— SCF !! - kayla 🫶🏼's the avs (@mackinnon629) June 23, 2022
Number 17:
I’m actually rooting for the Avs………….. what the hell man pic.twitter.com/PX9f2MBv3B
— Brock Gorton (@BrockGorton99) June 23, 2022
Number 16:
I was in and out if cell range driving between Alamosa and Albuquerque but just managed to hit a hot spot strong enough to stream the game winning goal called by @ConorMcGahey what the fuck the Avs might win the cup?!!! LFG!!!
— z - Eric Smith 🇺🇸 (@porcelainthrone) June 23, 2022
Number 15:
Lit. Crazy. Movie. Avs in 5 pic.twitter.com/FAxlassW3n
— NotJackson (@Jackson5280) June 23, 2022
Number 14:
GUY SIM ACTAULLY SOBBING LIKE AVS 1 GAM EAWAY FROM STANLEY CUP CHAMPS WHAT THE FUCK
— z - erika (@kyledubASS) June 23, 2022
Number 13:
It’s some Avs fans behind her. You can see them going crazy from the other angles. They’re like the only guys in the arena that new it was in immediately.
— Evan Pukajlo (@PukajloEvan) June 23, 2022
Number 12:
Sick!!!!! RT @Buccigross: Avs fans in Tampa. Gonna be a crazy Friday night in Denver… pic.twitter.com/CgciA2amby
— Jackson (@BiggieSchmahlz) June 23, 2022
Number 11:
Avs parade gonna go crazy, ain’t no way Colorado isn’t winning the cup
— Ben Jones (@jonesct22) June 23, 2022
Number 10:
The arena went crazy after that avs win tonight, made me emotional tbh
— Erika ⬡ (@erikaaaaa_31) June 23, 2022
Number 9:
Avs team of destiny - Tampa has finally run out of gas after a crazy amount of hockey in under 2 years - 3 Cups finals once August 2020
— CanadianHitman (@HitmanCanadian) June 23, 2022
Number 8:
After a crazy ending the Avalanche wins Game 4!! Avs lead the series 3-1, can’t wait for Game 5! #StanleyCup
— Girls Club (@girlsclubsports) June 23, 2022
Number 7:
the game was so even until OT too - fucking crazy the ways the avs kept putting it on the net for 10 mins straight
— (@sparkydubz) June 23, 2022
Number 6:
What a crazy finish. Once again the Avs #FindAWay to get one win away from bringing the Cup home. 15 down, one to go. #Mission16W
— Jason Cipriani (@MrCippy) June 23, 2022
Number 5:
I knew the Avs won because the neighborhood was going crazy like it’s St Patty’s Day.
— Manuel Aragon, Non Fungible Token Minority (@Spacejunc) June 23, 2022
Number 4:
Holy shit that was a crazy game!!! 1 more Avs!!! #StanleyCup #Avalanche
— A. Miller (@pyrolord314) June 23, 2022
Number 3:
Excellent. Avs can send this team home by Friday and spend the weekend going back shit crazy on weed and IPAs
— Juelz Mantanna (@KrimsonVnm) June 23, 2022
Number 2:
Every single team that the Avs have played in these playoffs continue to perpetuate a bizarre narrative that the Avs are somehow cheating. That’s because they are all at a complete loss to explain such a dominating force. This team is not good, they are GREAT! #GoAvsGo
— Mile Hi Goalie (@JackLambiotte) June 23, 2022
Number 1:
My girlfriend told me she would give me “big rewards” for tonight if I told her a joke. I said “Tampa Bay Lightning”. She couldn’t contain herself, she was laughing like crazy. She is now my fiancée. We are forever grateful for the Tampa Bay Lightning choke
— Utopia (Temporary Avs Fan) (@luke_hht) June 23, 2022
