The Colorado Avalanche celebrate their victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 5 of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

Avalanche beat Jets to advance to NHL playoffs second round

By Paul Harris | Last updated 5/1/24

Mikko Rantanen finally got in on the Colorado Avalanche's goal-scoring barrage.

The star winger's first two goals of the postseason came in the third period to break a tie on Tuesday night at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg and catapulted the Avalanche into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Colorado defeated the Winnipeg Jets 6-3 to win the Western Conference first-round playoff series in five games. The Avalanche will play the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights. That series is tied 2-2.

Rantanen's goals came less than four minutes apart early in the third period. The first, 4:11 into the period, broke a 3-3 tie. He then scored at 8:01.

Rantanen also added an assist.

Colorado scored 28 goals in the five-game series against Winnipeg, which had allowed the least goals in the NHL during the regular season. Twenty-four of the goals came against one of the league's top goalies, Connor Hellebuyck. He is a former Vezina Trophy winner and is a finalist for the honor this season.

The Avalanche became the fifth team in history to start the playoffs with at least five goals in the first four games.

Valeri Nikushkin, Yakov Trenin, Arturri Lehkonen and Josh Manson also scored for Colorado.

Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey and Tyler Toffoli supplied the goals for the Jets.

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