Given the Avalanche’s history of legendary players and high-stakes games, it’s no surprise the franchise has produced its share of iconic goals. The goals on this list are remembered as remarkable for each of their own reasons.
30. Peter Forsberg – Game Six, 1996 Western Conference Final, May 29, 1996
One of many great Forsberg goals sees him put the puck between Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom’s legs in the left circle as he deked his way toward the net. This goal gave the Avalanche a 4-1 lead at 16:44 of the third period in a game where they won the Western Conference.
29. Nathan MacKinnon – December 11, 2016
In a 3-1 road victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs, MacKinnon carried the puck through the neutral zone and took a high stick to the face before dancing around Morgan Rielly and scoring from the slot. This goal gave the Avs a 2-0 lead at 7:27 of the third period and turned out to be the game-winning tally.
28. Joe Sakic – Game Four, 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals, April 16, 2003
At 6:10 of the first period of what would be a 3-1 Avs win against the Minnesota Wild, Sakic made an incredible move shifting from his backhand to his forehand that caused the defender to trip Sakic mid-shot, but the Avs captain still scored.
27. Gabriel Landeskog – Game Six, 2019 Western Conference Second Round, May 6, 2019
Landeskog forced Game Seven against the San Jose Sharks with this goal at 2:32 of overtime from the low slot after Cale Makar’s right-point shot was blocked on its way through.
26. Cale Makar – Game Four, 2020 Western Conference First Round, August 17, 2020
Makar gave the Avs a 5-1 lead at 19 seconds of the third period against the Arizona Coyotes after he picked the puck up in the neutral zone, danced around a defender and scored with a backhand shot. Colorado would go one to win the game 7-1 and won the series in five games.
25. Valeri Kamensky – October 6, 1995
Kamensky scored the first goal in Avalanche history on the power play via a breakaway at 10:00 of the second period to tie the game against the Red Wings. It would be the first of two goals Kamensky scored that night as the Avs won 3-2.
24. Cale Makar – Game Four, 2024 Western Conference First Round, April 28, 2024
With the Avs possessing a 2-1 lead in Game Four against the Winnipeg Jets, Makar doubled Colorado’s lead at 15:03 of the middle frame with an incredible end-to-end goal. The Avs would win that game 5-1 and won the series in five games.
23. Gabriel Landeskog – April 7, 2018
Going into the final game of their season, the Avalanche needed to defeat the St. Louis Blues to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Up 3-1 in the third period, Landeskog scored an empty-net goal from his own zone at 16:37 of the fame to essentially seal the Avs’ victory.
22. Joe Sakic – March 7, 2000
In an 8-3 road victory against the Calgary Flames, Sakic completed his hat trick at 3:17 of the third period with a magnificent backhand-to-forehand deke around a defender in the left circle before scoring five-hole.
21. Andre Burakovsky – Game One, 2022 Stanley Cup Final, June 15, 2022
At 1:23 of overtime, Burakovsky gave the Avs a 1-0 series lead against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a right-circle one-timer set up by Valeri Nichushkin.
20. Artturi Lehkonen – Game Four, 2022 Western Conference Final, June 6, 2022
Lehkonen sent the Avs to the Stanley Cup Final with this goal at 1:19 of overtime against the Edmonton Oilers when he corralled the rebound and scored from the doorstep.
19. Josh Manson – Game One, 2022 Western Conference Second Round, May 17, 2022
After a shot fake, Manson gave the Avs a 1-0 series lead against the St. Louis Blues with this goal at 8:02 of overtime.
18. Cale Makar – Game Two, 2022 Western Conference First Round, May 5, 2022
Makar gave the Avalanche a 2-0 series lead against the Nashville Predators with this wrist shot from the high slot at 8:31 of overtime.
17. Joe Sakic – Game Seven, 2001 Stanley Cup Final, June 9, 2001
Sakic gave the Avs a 3-0 lead against the New Jersey Devils with a power-play goal at 6:16 of the second period after faking a slap shot and sending a right-circle wrist shot top-shelf.
16. Alex Tanguay – Game Seven, 2001 Stanley Cup Final, June 9, 2001
This goal was the second of Tanguay’s two tallies and the one that finished as the game-winner. At 4:57 of the second period, Tanguay scored from below the left circle after he cleaned up a rebound created by Sakic’s right-circle shot off the rush.
15. Alex Tanguay – Game Seven, 2001 Stanley Cup Final, June 9, 2001
Tanguay opened the scoring at 7:58 of the first period with a shot from below the right circle after carrying the puck around the back of the net.
14. Joe Sakic – Game Five, 2001 Western Conference Final, May 21, 2001
At 24 seconds of overtime against the Blues, Sakic cleaned up the rebound from Rob Blake’s right-point shot just outside the crease and sent the Avs to the Stanley Cup Final.
13. Stephane Yelle – Game Four, 2001 Western Conference Final, May 18, 2001
Yelle’s goal via a net-front redirect set up by Blake’s centering feed at 4:23 of overtime gave the Avs a 3-1 series lead against the Blues.
12. Peter Forsberg – Game Three, 2001 Western Conference Quarterfinals, April 16, 2001
At 2:50 of overtime, Forsberg gave the Avalanche a 3-0 series lead against the Vancouver Canucks by shielding off one defender, skating around another and scoring from the left doorstep.
11. Mike Keane – Game One, 1996 Western Conference Final, May 19, 1996
Keane gave the Avs a 1-0 series lead against the Red Wings with a wrist shot from above the left circle at 17:31 of overtime.
10. Joe Sakic – Game Five, 1996 Western Conference Quarterfinals, April 25, 1996
Sakic completed his hat trick at 51 seconds of overtime with a right-circle shot to give the Avs a 3-2 series lead against the Canucks.
9. Joe Sakic – Game Four, 1996 Western Conference Semifinals, May 8, 1996
At 4:33 of triple overtime, Sakic scored his second goal of the game via a shot from below the left circle to tie the Avs’ series with the Chicago Blackhawks at two games apiece.
8. Sandis Ozolinsh – Game Six, 1996 Western Conference Semifinals, May 13, 1996
After being set up by Kamensky and hitting the post, Ozolinsh controlled the rebound and sent the Avs to the Western Conference Final with this goal from the doorstep at 5:18 of double overtime.
7. Gabriel Landeskog – Game Four, 2025 Western Conference First Round, April 26, 2025
Landeskog scored his first NHL goal in 1,041 days with a slap shot from the slot at 13:10 of the second period against the Dallas Stars.
6. Cale Makar – Game Three, 2019 Western Conference First Round, April 15, 2019
Makar’s first NHL goal in his NHL debut, a right-circle wrist shot off the rush, gave the Avs a 3-0 lead at 16:02 of the first period against the Calgary Flames. The Avs would win the game 6-2 and the series in five games.
5. Nathan MacKinnon – Game Two, 2019 Western Conference First Round, April 13, 2019
MacKinnon evened the Avs’ series against the Flames at one game apiece with a top-shelf, left-circle wrist shot at 8:27 of overtime.
4. Darren Helm – Game Six, 2022 Western Conference Second Round, May 27, 2022
Helm gave the Avs a 3-2 lead against the Blues at 19:54 of the third period with a left-circle slap shot. The game-winning goal sent the Avs to the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and ended the three-year streak of the team losing in the second round.
3. Nathan MacKinnon – Game Five, 2022 Western Conference Second Round, May 25, 2022
MacKinnon completed his hat trick with a coast-to-coast goal at 17:14 of the third period against the Blues. He picked up the puck below his own goal line, skated up the ice, made an incredible deke around Blues defenseman Nick Leddy, brought the puck back to his forehand, and scored.
2. Nazem Kadri – Game Four, 2022 Stanley Cup Final, June 22, 2022
After missing the previous four games due to injury, Kadri gave the Avs a 3-1 series lead against the Lightning with a shot from the bottom of the right circle at 12:02 of overtime. After some brief confusion about where the puck went, the Avs celebrated after learning it was stuck in the top of the net.
1. Uwe Krupp – Game Four, 1996 Stanley Cup Final, June 10, 1996
Krupp’s right-point slap shot at 4:31 of triple overtime—the game’s lone goal—won the Stanley Cup for the Avalanche in their inaugural season.