I haven't posted to this blog much in 2022, but I still kept track of big sports events during the year. Enough to publish an annual list of my top 10 Colorado sports moments. Two championships are among this year's list along with other highlights - overall thanks to hockey it was a good year!
Number 10: June 27th: Rockies 3 Dodgers 0. The Rockies Chad Kuhl had a complete game shutout surrendering three hits, at hitter friendly Coors Field no less. Kuhl was just mediocre the rest of the season so this performance was a surprise, especially against a Dodger team that won 111 games in the 2022 regular season. The Rockies, by contrast, only won 68 games in 2022.
Number 9: February 16th: Nuggets 117 Warriors 116. Monte Morris hits a 3 pointer at the buzzer to beat Golden State on the road. The Warriors would go on to win the NBA championship later in the year. . Watch the game winning shot here:
Number 8: Sept 25th: Broncos 11 49ers 10. Russell Wilson leads a come from behind win in the 4th quarter as the Broncos starting quarterback. A defensive battle, Wilson struggled but then produced some big plays at the end before a national tv audience on NBC's Sunday Night Football. In retrospect this was a quality win as the 49ers at year's end are one of the NFL's best teams.
Number 7: May/June A couple of Denver athletes honored league wide for their play: Nuggets Jokic wins second consecutive NBA MVP., and the Avs Cal Makar wins the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. The first defenseman in franchise history to win the award.
Number 6: Dec 3rd: Deion Sanders named new football coach of the CU Buffs. That the 1 win 10 loss Buffs could get such a dynamic, big name coach was a big surprise and bodes well for the future of the school's football program.
Number 5: April 9th DU Hockey Pioneers win National Championship with a come from behind win against Minnesota State. Denver scored 5 goals in the 3rd period to win 5-1, their 9th national championship! I've been following DU hockey since Murray Armstrong was coach in the 60's - good to see the program get another title!
Number 4: May 23 Avs 6 Blues 3 Nazem Kadri scores the Avs first ever road hat trick in a game where St Louis tries to rough him up. Avs take a 3-1 series lead on the way to closing out the Blues. A Kadri unintentional hit on goalie Jordan Binnington had put the Blues goalie out of the series in the previous game.
Number 3: May 27 Avs 3 Blues 2. Avs come from behind to beat the Blues and advance to the Western Conference finals. One of the most dramatic goals in team history as veteran 4th liner Darren Helm scores the winner with less than 5 seconds left in regulation. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/K9cPykH7cTw
Number 2: June 16th: Avs 4 Tampa 3 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Overtime. Avs come out fast and lead 3-1 before Tampa ties it 3-3. Andre Burakovsky gets the winning goal 1 minute 23 seconds into OT to send the home town Denver crowd into a frenzy. The first Stanley Cup Final game in Denver in 21 years.
Number 1: June 26th: Avs 2 Tampa 1 Avs win the Stanley Cup 4 games to 2! The 3rd title in franchise history and first since 2001. Watch the final seconds here:
photo courtesy of espn
