Happy 25th Anniversary, Ball Arena! A quarter of a century ago, the Avalanche’s current home opened its doors for the first time.
There have been plenty of memorable moments throughout the history of the arena, but which ones stand out?
First Game at the Arena
The Avalanche hosted the Boston Bruins in their first regular-season game at their new home on Oct. 13, 1999. Milan Hejduk scored the first goal in the arena’s history at 17:40 of the second period thanks to assists from Chris Drury and Joe Sakic before the Bruins tied the game at 19:24 of the second frame. At 15:16 of the third period, Adam Foote scored the game-winning goal with Drury and Sakic picking up the assists, making the Avalanche’s debut at their new arena a victorious one.
Game Seven, 2001 Stanley Cup Final
The two best words in sports: Game Seven. On June 9, 2001, the Avalanche hosted the New Jersey Devils with the Stanley Cup on the line. The Devils were one win away from winning back-to-back Stanley Cups while the Avalanche were a win away from capturing their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Thanks to a pair of goals from Alex Tanguay and a power-play goal from Sakic, the Avalanche won 3-1, winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in team history. After the game, one of the most memorable moments in NHL history occurred when Sakic handed the Stanley Cup to Ray Bourque, who then hoisted the cup for the first time in what was the final game of his illustrious 22-year career.
2001 Banner Raising
On Oct. 9, 2001, the Avalanche’s 2001 Stanley Cup banner headed into the rafters ahead of the team’s 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks, the team they swept in the First Round of the 2001 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sakic had three points (1g/2a), while Drury and Martin Skoula each posted a goal and an assist.
Jersey Retirements
Sakic (19): Oct. 1, 2009
To open the 2009-10 season, the Avalanche retired Sakic's No. 19, a Hall of Famer and the team’s captain from 1996-2009. In 870 regular-season games with Colorado, Sakic posted 1,015 points (391g/624a) in addition to 177 points (77g/100a) in 160 Playoff games. He also put together an impressive trophy case, winning the Hart Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2000-01 along with the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1996. On the ice, the Avalanche beat the Sharks 5-2 behind two goals from Wojtek Wolski, a goal and an assist from John-Michael Liles, along with two assists from Paul Stastny.
Forsberg (21): Oct. 8, 2011
The Avalanche raised Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg’s No. 21 to the rafters to honor the Hall of Famer’s extraordinary career. In 10 seasons with the Avalanche, Forsberg registered 705 points (202g/503) in 544 regular-season games in addition 153 points (56g/97a) in 134 Playoff games, helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001. In 2002-03, he scored 106 points (29g/77a) and won the Art Ross Trophy along with the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Roy (33): Oct. 28, 2003
In the season following his retirement, the Avalanche retired the No. 33 of Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy. In eight seasons with the Avalanche, Roy posted a regular-season record of 262-140-65 along with a .918 save percentage and a 2.27 goals against average. In 133 Playoff games, Roy went 81-52 and posted a .922 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against average. No stranger to hardware, he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001 along with winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2001.
Foote (52): Nov. 2, 2013
Ahead of their matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, the Avalanche lifted Foote’s No. 52 to the rafters. In 13 years with the Avalanche, Foote played in 760 regular-season games and recorded 221 points (48g/173a). Additionally, in 158 Playoff games, he posted 40 points (7g/33a) and helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001. On the ice that night, Colorado beat the Canadiens 4-1 behind goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Ryan O’Reilly, and P.A. Parenteau.
Bourque (77): Nov. 24, 2001
Exactly 168 days after Game Seven of the 2001 Stanley Cup Final, the final game of his career, the Avalanche retired Bourque’s No. 77. In two seasons with Colorado, the Hall of Fame blueliner posted 73 points (15g/58a) in 94 regular-season games in addition to 19 points (5g/14a) in 34 Playoff games. The night of his jersey retirement was a victorious one for the Avalanche, as they defeated the Oilers 2-0 behind goals from Drury and Shjon Podein.
Hejduk (23): Jan. 6, 2018
Milan Hejduk's No. 23 was the sixth number retired by the Avalanche. In 14 seasons, all with the Avalanche, Hejduk posted 805 points (375g/430a) in 1,020 games in addition to 76 points (34g/42a) in 112 Playoff games, highlighted by winning the Stanley Cup in 2001. On the ice that night, the Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 7-2 behind three-point nights from MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen.
Pierre Lacroix Banner Raising: Oct. 16, 2021
Ahead of Avalanche's second game of the 2021-22 season, Hockey Hall of Famer Pierre Lacroix, the team’s first general manager and the architect of the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup wins in 1996 and 2001, was immortalized at Ball Arena when a banner with his name and accomplishes was raised. During his 10 seasons as Avalanche general manager, Colorado made the playoffs all 10 times and the conference final six times.
2018 Game 82 (Win and In)
Entering the final game of the 2017-18 regular season, there was one Western Conference playoff spot yet to be clinched. And as fate would have it, the two teams fighting for that spot, the Avalanche and St. Louis Blues, would play each other in Game 82. The Blues entered the day with 94 points, one more than the Avalanche. Each team controlled its own destiny, setting up a “win and you’re in” scenario.
The Avalanche scored first on a Samuel Girard slapshot at 19:14 of the first period and Tyson Barrie doubled the team’s lead with a power-play goal at 6:11. After the Blues cut the Avalanche’s lead in half at 12:28 of the second period, MacKinnon made it a 3-1 game at 16:58 of the middle frame before Gabriel Landeskog scored an empty-net goal at 16:37 of the third period. The Avalanche would go on to win 5-2 and clinch their first of seven-straight Stanley Cup Playoff berths while making the postseason for the first time since 2014.
Cale Makar’s Debut: Game Three, 2019 First Round
Entering Game Three of the First Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Avalanche and Calgary Flames were tied at one game apiece. Ahead of Game Three, the Avalanche made a significant addition, signing Cale Makar to his entry-level contract one day after the conclusion of his sophomore season at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Makar, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, won the 2019 Hobey Baker Award, given to the nation’s top player. Just one day after signing with the Avalanche, Makar made his NHL debut against his hometown Flames. He hit the ground running, scoring his first goal on his first shot on goal to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead at 16:02 of the first period. The Avalanche would go on to win the game 6-2 and eliminate the Flames in five games. It turns out Makar’s special debut was only a sign of things to come.
2022 Banner Raising
On Oct. 12, 2022, the Avalanche raised their third Stanley Cup banner in their season-opener against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Avalanche won 5-2 behind two goals and an assist from Artturi Lehkonen, four assists from Rantanen, and two assists each from MacKinnon and Makar.
