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A venerated sports cliché contends that a series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game. By that standard, plenty of hockey fans on Twitter are thinking the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning may already be over, with the number of tweets predicting a sweep after the Avs’ incredible 7-0 victory at Ball Arena on June 18 continuing to proliferate.
Signs that the Avalanche players weren’t satisfied with their performance in the series opener despite winning 4-3 in overtime were clear within seconds of the puck hitting the ice. Colorado’s aggressiveness forced a Tampa Bay penalty just over a minute into the contest, and in the waning seconds of the power play, Valeri Nichushkin put one past Tampa Bay’s superstar goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy. And before the first period was over, Josh Manson and game one hero Andre Burakovsky had repeated the feat.
Over the next two periods, Colorado turned Vasy, nicknamed the Big Cat, into a defenseless kitten by way of another four goals. Among those cashing in were Darren Helm, Nichushkin (again) and Cole Makar (twice).
By the end of the rout, the only surprises were that Avalanche leader Nathan MacKinnon hadn’t netted one (he did get an assist), and that Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had left Vasilevskiy in the lineup throughout, in order to experience every bit of the humiliation personally. As for Avs goalie Darcy Kuemper, Colorado’s big question mark going in, he only had to face sixteen shots the entire game – and he stopped all of them to earn a shutout.
Afterward, ABC hockey analyst Mark Messier said the Avs put on the single-most-dominant performance he’d ever seen – and given that he’s a six-time Stanley Cup champion who excelled alongside Wayne Gretsky during the most storied portion of his career, that’s a bold statement. For Avs boosters, even better was Makar’s demeanor during a post-game interview. When ESPN’s Emily Kaplan asked if he planned to celebrate the win, a stone-faced Makar simply said, “No.”
This attitude is what makes thoughts of a sweep more than a fantasy. The Avs didn’t just beat the Tampa Bay skaters; they obliterated them. And while the Lightning will be on home ice for the next two games, each member of the squad will have what happened on Saturday night fresh in his mind.
Continue to see our picks for the twenty most memorable tweets about a potential sweep:
Number 20:
Go Avs!!! Oh how I’d love a sweep!!!!
— Kim (@Kimmamaof2) June 19, 2022
Number 19:
The Avs might fuck around and sweep the Lightning
— Antonio (@AntonioDuman) June 19, 2022
Number 18:
Go AVs! I see a sweep coming!
— Cal Mendelsohn (@CalMendelsohn) June 19, 2022
Number 17:
Of course a KC Chiefs fan would say that. Denver is the city of champions right now. Avs are about to sweep the shit out of the Lightning, DU hockey won the NCAA championship, and the Colorado Mammoth won the NLL championship. Up next, broncos kicking the shit out of the chiefs
— Harrison McKittrick (@HarryMcKittrick) June 19, 2022
Number 16:
Keep it up Avs!
Sweep! pic.twitter.com/eJscmt81C3— atejada (@armandtejada) June 19, 2022
Number 15:
lol avs are gonna sweep the stanley
— Shogun Hikari (@Shogun_Hikari) June 19, 2022
Number 14:
Also, I obviously would love the Avs to sweep the stupid Lightning (yes, I am still salty about the Tavares goal that wasn't counted!) but if they could lose one game so there's a Game 5 on a day where I as a European hockey fan can watch it? That would be amazing, thanks!
— Jools but, like, secret (@ButJools) June 19, 2022
Number 13:
Nope another shutout, hate saying this but Avs look like they might just sweep this series.
— Susan White (@stammewhite) June 19, 2022
Number 12:
Can’t sit here and tell you it’s gonna be a sweep, but dammit if it doesn’t look like the Avs are the dominant team. Sheesh.
— Benjamin Davila (@Saginaw_Ben_G) June 19, 2022
Number 11:
Need new Avs threads. Used to have a Forsberg jersey but donated it some years back. Didn’t want to jinx the winning streak by buying new gear. But still a fan all the way!! Guess I’ll have to wait until they sweep the Lightning.
— Sarah Adams (@Sarah_Adams2001) June 19, 2022
Number 10:
They rocked em!!! We might be seeing a clean sweep! Go Avs!
— latenightrenders (@latenightrender) June 19, 2022
Number 9:
The Avs are about to sweep the Lightning and complete one of the best postseason runs of all time by going 16-2. And the blues would’ve beat ’em if Binner doesn’t get hurt, absolute travesty
— Stewart Stephens (@stewystephens) June 19, 2022
Number 8:
Good run @TBLightning lol ..please dont let the avs sweep you too.
— BlaKKouT (@xXBlaKKouTXx1) June 19, 2022
Number 7:
Avs sweep https://t.co/WQKxsXWwpH
— Zach Mruk (@zachmruk) June 19, 2022
Number 6:
Game three is going to be huge! HUGE!!! If the #GoAvsGo can come out w/ a win or 3-4, or 2-3 loss the series mo should stay w/ the Avs. If they win game 3 it could be a series sweep https://t.co/psLgYarZjr pic.twitter.com/kvLQCZA1n1
— Rich Valdez (@Richard_V) June 19, 2022
Number 5:
Okay, Avs! Let’s get the sweep in Tampa Bay!!
— Becky G (@beckyg504) June 19, 2022
Number 4:
AVS SWEEP
— Alex Hernandez (@AHern0309) June 19, 2022
Number 3:
If the avs sweep do you guys think the parade could be on Friday? Asking for a friend
— Playoff Kyle (@MileHighKyle27) June 19, 2022
Number 2:
Yeah but consider, super bowl is one game, SCF is at least four
If the avs sweep then we're really talking full dominance…
But this as a single game yeah! It was over from the get! And I loved every second of it!#goavsgo
— Clinton Mitchell (@GeoLevCEO) June 19, 2022
Number 1:
Hope Avs sweep you pic.twitter.com/mFmJhQOhyz
— (@mcs1981_) June 19, 2022
