Here\u2019s a look back at The Denver Post\u2019s top 10 most popular Colorado Avalanche stories of 2020, as determined by our readers.<\/p>\n
Published Dec. 13, 2020.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0The architect behind the two Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup championship teams has died. Pierre Lacroix passed away Sunday from complications from COVID-19, per Quebec media reports. He was 72.<\/p>\n Lacroix \u2014 the former Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche general manager \u2014 assembled rosters that earned NHL glory when the Avs\u2019 current GM, Joe Sakic, twice hoisted the Stanley Cup as a player.<\/p>\n Published July 18, 2020. <\/strong><\/em>Jared Bednar was as animated as he has probably ever been in his four years as Avalanche head coach, in Day 5 of the training camp 2.0 at Pepsi Center.<\/p>\n Bednar stopped an end-to-end 5-on-5 and unleashed an obscenity-laced tirade that included his concern about checking, the limited practices remaining before the Avs\u2019 Aug. 2 opener in the 24-team playoffs and something about \u201c(expletive) golfing\u201d if things don\u2019t go well in Edmonton, the Western Conference hub city.<\/p>\n Published Aug. 18, 2020.<\/strong><\/em> Nineteen seconds into the third period of Game 4 against the Coyotes, Makar scooped an open puck at his blue line, reached top-speed, slipped Arizona defenseman Alex Goligoski with silly stick work and backhanded the puck over the right pad of goalie Antti Raanta.<\/p>\n Several minutes later, with the Avs up 6-1, Nathan Mackinnon slammed Coyotes forward Christian Fischer to the ice in a skirmish ignited by Arizona forward Lawson Crouse cross-checking Makar face-first into the boards.<\/p>\n Published Aug. 11, 2020.<\/strong><\/em> Altitude announced in August it waived its exclusive broadcasting rights for Avalanche and Nuggets first-round playoff games, thus all games will be available locally on national platforms.<\/p>\n Published Aug. 28, 2020.<\/strong><\/em> The NHL suspended play for two days to protest racial injustice in August. And fans were eager to see the revamped second-round playoff schedule.<\/p>\n Published Aug. 3, 2020.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Comcast violated blackout rules in carrying the Avalanche\u2019s first seeding game on its NHL Center Ice platform Sunday. The game against the St. Louis Blues was also shown on the NBC Sports app, which was subject to black out as well.<\/p>\n Published Feb. 16, 2020.<\/strong><\/em> \u201cIt\u2019s not that people were being dumb and leaving too late, it\u2019s that this place has absolutely no clue how to handle a crowd and event of this magnitude,\u201d says one fan.<\/p>\n9. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has practice tirade; star rookie Cale Makar skates off early<\/h3>\n
8. Avalanche\u2019s Cale Makar reacts to Nathan MacKinnon fight after Coyotes\u2019 cheap shot<\/h3>\n
7. Altitude waives exclusive rights to Avalanche and Nuggets playoff games<\/h3>\n
6. NHL announces updated schedule for Avalanche-Dallas Stars playoff series<\/h3>\n
5. Comcast, NBC Sports app violated blackout rules broadcasting Avalanche seeding game<\/h3>\n
4. Traffic jams, long lines stain NHL Stadium Series game at Falcon Stadium: \u201cIt was every major failure I feared\u201d<\/h3>\n
3. Dallas Stars \u201ccheat\u201d on faceoffs, Avalanche coach says<\/h3>\n