As Helm retires, don’t forget his goal to help Avs win Stanley Cup
Jul 6, 2023, 9:51 AM
Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche probably don’t win the Stanley Cup without Darren Helm in 2022.
Specifically, one magical goal that helped the Avs break their Round 2 curse and bury the St. Louis Blues. Helm announced his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday.
The night was May 27, and the Avalanche were leading the Blues 3-2 in the series, but tied 2-2 in a tense Game 6. Colorado had already blown Game 5, so the last thing they wanted was to head back to Denver for a Game 7.
With mere seconds to go before overtime, Helm fired a gorgeous one-timer past goaltender Ville Husso to give the Avs a 3-2 lead. It was a backbreaker for St. Louis as the Colorado bench erupted. Both teams knew the series was over.
DARREN HELM WITH 5 SECS LEFT pic.twitter.com/ek9QCJqNHy
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) May 28, 2022
THE AVS SAID "PAYBACK". #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/N5ARgu5TNl
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 28, 2022
You know what transpired from there. The Avalanche swept the Oilers in the Western Conference Final then beat the Lightning in six games to win their third Stanley Cup.
Considering they had lost in Round 2 three straight years before that, who knows what happens if Helm doesn’t find the back of the net that evening in St. Louis?
The good news is we never have to find out. Helm was limited to just 11 games this past season due to injury, so retirement felt inevitable.
But he’ll always have that moment in an Avs sweater that fans will remember forever.
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