1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=1995–96
Team=Colorado Avalanche
Conference=Western
ConferenceRank=2nd
Division=Pacific
DivisionRank=1st
Record=47–25–10
HomeRecord=24–10–7
RoadRecord=23–15–3
GoalsFor=326 (2nd)
GoalsAgainst=240 (T-8th)
GeneralManager=Pierre Lacroix
Coach=Marc Crawford
Captain=Joe Sakic
AltCaptain=Mike Ricci
"Unknown"
Arena=McNichols Sports Arena
Attendance=
GoalsLeader=Joe Sakic (51)
AssistsLeader=Peter Forsberg (86)
PointsLeader=Joe Sakic (120)
PIMLeader=Chris Simon (250)
WinsLeader=Patrick Roy
Stephane Fiset (22)
GAALeader=Patrick Roy (2.68)
StanleyCup=Yes
PresidentsTrophy=
ConferenceWin=Yes
DivisionWin=YesThe 1995–96 Colorado Avalanche season was the first season of the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise after moving to Denver.

The Avalanche played their first game in the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver on October 6, 1995, winning 3–2 against the Detroit Red Wings. [cite web |title = October 6, 1995 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche gamesheet|url =http://www.avalanchedb.com/gamesheets/95–96/199501.htm|publisher =Colorado Avalanche Database|accessdate =2007–06–17] Led by captain Joe Sakic, forward Peter Forsberg, and defenceman Adam Foote on the ice and Pierre Lacroix as the general manager and Marc Crawford as the head coach, the Avalanche got stronger when former Montreal Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy joined the team. Feeling humiliated for being left in the net after having let in 9 goals in 26 shots during a Canadiens game against the Red Wings, Roy joined the Avalanche on December 6, 1995, together with ex-Montreal captain Mike Keane in a trade for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko. [cite news |title =Roy gets call he's in Hall|url =http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nhl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23920_4810040,00.html|author =Sadowski, Rick|publisher =Rocky Mountain News|date =2006–06–29|accessdate =2007–03–25] Roy would prove a pivotal addition for Colorado in the years to come.

On Wednesday, January 3, 1996, the Avalanche lost at home, 1–0, to the New Jersey Devils. It was the first time in 123 consecutive regular-season games that the team was shut out; the last time the team had been shut out was while they were the Quebec Nordiques. That game took place on Thursday, January 27, 1994, and the Nordiques lost on the road, 3–0, to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Avalanche finished the regular season with a 47–25–10 record for 104 points, won the Pacific Division and finished second in the Western Conference. Colorado progressed to the playoffs and won the series against the Vancouver Canucks, the Chicago Blackhawks and Presidents' Trophy winners Detroit Red Wings. In the Stanley Cup Final, the Avalanche met the Florida Panthers, who were also in their first Stanley Cup final. The Avalanche swept the series 4–0. In Game Four, during the third overtime and after more than 100 minutes of play with no goals, defenceman Uwe Krupp scored to claim the franchise's first Cup. [cite news |title =No stopping the Avalanche - Colorado completes Cup sweep of Panthers with 3OT victory|url =http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB03D7A86BE23F7&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|author =Ulman, Howard|publisher =Associated Press|date =1996–06–11|accessdate =2007–03–25] Joe Sakic was the playoff's scoring leader with 34 points (18 goals and 16 assists) and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player to his team during the playoffs. The 1996 Stanley Cup was the first major professional championship won by a Denver team.cite web |title =Miscellaneous/Community/Altitude|url =http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/PDF/321134_CA_MG_325–336.pdf|publisher =Colorado Avalanche|accessdate =2007–06–17|format=PDF] With the Stanley Cup win, Russians Alexei Gusarov and Valeri Kamensky and Swede Peter Forsberg became members of the Triple Gold Club, the exclusive group of ice hockey players who have won Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup.cite web |title =Triple Gold Club|url =http://www.iihf.com/archive/TGC.pdf|publisher =International Ice Hockey Federation|accessdate =2007–06–17|format=PDF]

Regular season

eason standings