Colorado Avalanche vs Seattle Kraken Game 7: Preview, lines, predictions - 2023 NHL Playoffs 

The Seattle Kraken have a chance to knock off the defending champion Colorado Avalanche, and advance to the second round in just their first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Colorado did their job in Game 6 and despite all the pressure of trailing 3-2 in the series and playing in a loud environment in Seattle, the Avs found a way to control the game and come out on top 4-1 in a performance that showed what the Colorado Avalanche are made of.

After winning 16 games and their first Stanley Cup since 2001, Colorado was the clear favorite against the first-timer Seattle Kraken. But the team had other ideas and played the role of 'Cinderella' to perfection.

Even so, with everybody outside of Denver rooting for the Kraken, the Avs came together and played their best game of the series to force a Game 7, showing depth, maturity, and leadership from some of the best players in the NHL.

During their run to the Stanley Cup in 2023, the Avalanche did not face elimination a single time. They swept the Nashville Predators in the first round, beat the St. Louis Blues in six games, swept the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, and then took down the back-to-back champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six.

In their last Game 7, the second round of the 2020 bubble in Edmonton, the Avs were heartbroken by a heroic hat trick overtime goal from Joel Kiviranta of the Dallas Stars. Nathan Mackinnon and company were left feeling this way:

So while the Avalanche are the defending champions, there is certainly still some unfinished business in their minds to find a new outcome in Game 7. Seattle has nothing to lose.

The team has already exceeded expectations by a long shot, entertained its new fans, and proven that it is not going to take 10 years to become competitive. So why not wrap it up by knocking off the defending champs in round one?

Colorado Avalanche projected lineup

• Rodrigues - MacKinnon - Rantanen
• Nichushkin - Compher - Lehkonen
• Newhook - Eller - Malgin
• Nieto - Cogliano - O'Connor
• Toews - Makar
• Girard - Manson
• Byram - E. Johnson
• Georgiev
• Francouz

Seattle Kraken projected lineup

• McCann-Beniers-Eberle
• Schwartz-Wennberg-Geekie
• Tolvanen-Gourde-Bjorkstrand
• Froden-Donato-Tanev
• Dunn-Larsson
• Oleksiak-Borgen
• Soucy-Schultz
• Grubauer
• Daccord

Prediction

In Sunday's Game 7's, the Bruins and Avalanche are clearly the better teams overall. Yet, the Panthers and Kraken have hung right with them.

If the Avs play to their potential, they should have no problem. But it will certainly help if they can finally score the first goal, which they have not done through six games.

I say:

RELEASE THE KRAKEN!

Kraken 4, Avalanche 3