Schedule and 2002 Results
Regular Season Records: Colorado 45-28-8-1=99pts, Los Angeles 40-27-11-4=95pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 18 April: Los Angeles loses at Colorado, 4-goals-3
Game 2 on Saturday, 20 April: Los Angeles loses at Colorado, 5-goals-3
Game 3 on Monday, 22 April: Colorado loses at Los Angeles, 3-goals-1
Game 4 on Tuesday, 23 April: Colorado wins at Los Angeles, 1-goal-nil
Game 5 on Thursday, 25 April: Los Angeles wins at Colorado, 1-goal-nil (OT)
Game 6 on Saturday, 27 April: Colorado loses at Los Angeles, 3-goals-1
Game 7 on Monday, 29 April: Los Angeles loses at Colorado, 4-goals-nil

SERIES NOTES: Post Game 7 and series assessment: The 4-goals-nil victory by Colorado is the most lopsided NHL Game 7 shutout since Game 7 of series 753, in which the Edmonton Oilers whitewashed the Colorado Avalanche 4-goals-nil (ironically enough) in 1998 Preliminary round action. Prelim-round Game 7 records are now 1-1 (1-1 at home) for Colorado, and 1-1 (0-1 on the road) for Los Angeles. Colorado now has a best-of-7 series record of 15-4 (13-2 when Game 1 is at home); Los Angeles now has a best-of-7 series record of 8-17 (6-14 when Game 1 is on the road). Colorado's win order was WWLWLLW -- this series is the first NHL Prelim-round series to show this win order, the second NHL series (all rounds) to do so, and the ninth overall to do so ... the last series with such a win order was best-of-7 series 718, in which the Seattle Supersonics defeated the Utah Jazz in the 1996 NBA Semis. From a Rocky Mountain perspective, Colorado fans might wish to know that, in best-of-7 series 347, the NBA Denver Nuggets won a series WWLWLLW in a 1978 NBA Qtrs-round vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. Post Game 6 assessment: With the Los Angeles win forcing Game 7, this best-of-7 series becomes the 223rd MLB, NBA, or NHL playoff series to go the distance, and the 101st NHL playoff series to go seven games. Los Angeles now sports a best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 6 record of 6-1 (an NHL-best 4-0 at home), while that for Colorado is now 3-2 (3-2 on the road). When tied 3-games-all, the Colorado series record is 2-3, while that for Los Angeles is 3-3. The only NHL team to open WWLWLL @ HHVVHV and win Game 7 is the Edmonton Oilers, in best-of-7 series 490 (the 1987 NHL Finals); the only NHL team to open LLWLWW @ VVHHVH and win Game 7 is the Pittsburgh Penguins, in best-of-7 series 604 (the 1992 Prelim round). Post Game 5 assessment: With the overtime Game 5 victory, the Los Angeles Kings improve their best-of-7 Preliminary round Game 5 record to 5-4 (3-3 on the road). Colorado falls to 4-2 (4-2 at home) in best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 5 action. MLB, NBA, and NHL teams opening a best-of-7 series LLWLW @ VVHHV have only a 2-19 series record (1-8 in the NHL alone). Thus, setting the precedent for an L.A. comeback are the NBA Houston Rockets (in best-of-7 series 691, a 1995 Quarterfinals series vs. Phoenix) and the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins (in series 604, a 1992 Preliminary series vs. Washington). When leading a series 3-games-2, Colorado has an 8-2 series mark; when trailing a series 3-games-2, Los Angeles owns a 3-5 series record. Post Game 4 assessment: With its victory in Los Angeles, Colorado improves its best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 4 record to 3-4 (3-3 on the road), while that of L.A. falls to 5-6 (3-5 at home). Colorado sports a 6-1 series mark when leading a best-of-7 series 3-games-1; L.A. has a 1-8 series mark when trailing 3-games-1. Post Game 3 assessment: With its home-ice win in Game 3, Los Angeles boosts its best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 3 record to 4-7 (4-4 at home), while that of Colorado falls to 4-3 (4-2 on the road). When trailing 2-games-1 in a best-of-7 playoff series, the Los Angeles Kings have posted a 5-7 series record. When leading 2-games-1, Colorado has a 9-2 series record. Post Game 2 assessment: Colorado improves its best-of-7 playoff game record to 69-38 (.645) with its victory over the Kings. The Colorado best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 2 record is now 6-1 (5-1 at home), while that of the Los Angeles Kings falls to 3-8 (an NHL-low 0-8 on the road). Colorado has a 9-0 series record when leading a best-of-7 series 2-games-nil; Los Angeles last rebounded from a 2-games-nil deficit to win a best-of-7 series in the 2001 Preliminary round, when they won Games 3-6 to defeat the Detroit Red Wings. Post Game 1 assessment: From 1939-2001, NHL teams winning Game 1 of a best-of-7 series by a one-goal margin have posted a 111-60 (.649) series record. With the win, Colorado ties the Dallas Stars at 6-1, atop the NHL in best-of-7 Preliminary-round Game 1 records (and 5-1 at home), while Los Angeles sees its best-of-7 Prelim-round Game 1 franchise record fall to 3-8 (3-5 on the road). As a franchise, dating back to 1996, the Colorado Avalanche are now 68-38 (.642) in best-of-7 series format games -- percentage-wise, the best in the NHL and just behind the overall leader MLB Arizona Diamondbacks (.667, on only 12 games). Pre-series assessment: In the 2001-02 regular season, Colorado finished with 4 more points than Los Angeles. From 1939 through 2001, when NHL best-of-7 opponents were separated by 4 regular-season points, the better regular-season team has gone on to post a 4-7 (.364) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. Series 853 is a rematch of series 833, the 2001 NHL Quarterfinals series in which Colorado defeated Los Angeles in seven games.