The Colorado Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions for the first time since 2001 after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 of the Cup Final on Sunday.

Artturi Lehkonen scored the Avalanche's game winner in the second period. Darcy Kuemper registered 20 saves in the victory.

The Tampa Bay Lightning spoiled Colorado's party to stay in the hunt for a third straight Stanley Cup title, beating the Avalanche 3-2 on Friday night in Game 5.

Ondrej Palat scored with 6:22 remaining and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots in front of a raucous crowd hoping to celebrate the Avalanche’s first championship in 21 years. The Cup was all shined up and in the building, too.

It’s heading back to Tampa for Game 6 on Sunday night. The Lightning trail the best-of-seven series 3-2.

The Avalanche are on the brink of their first Stanley Cup title since 2001, thanks to Nazem Kadri's overtime goal.

Even if the two-time defending champion Lightning don't believe it should have counted.

Kadri scored at 12:02 of the extra period to give Colorado a 3-2 victory in Game 4 and move the Avalanche within a win of their first championship in over two decades.

Without specifically saying Tampa Bay felt Colorado had too many men on the ice for the winning goal, Lightning coach Jon Cooper suggested the goal should not have been allowed.

“We’re all in this together. Players, coaches, refs, everybody. But this one is going to sting much more than others,” Cooper said.

Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Ondrej Palat each had a goal and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lighting scored four times in the second period and beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

What emerged from the Lightning on Saturday night wasn't their championship pedigree or vaunted ability to bounce back but frayed nerves and maybe a realization that the Avalanche are coming swiftly for their crown.

Andrei Vasilevskiy and the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions were thumped 7-0 by the Avalanche, losing not only the game but their cool and their mojo in the process.

This marked just the second time in Vasilevskiy’s 465-game NHL career that he allowed that many goals in a game.

Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.

Burakovsky ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that began late in regulation when three-time champ Patrick Maroon put the puck over the glass. Burakovsky is one of only two Avalanche players who have won the Cup.

Captain Steven Stamkos scored both goals, including the game-winner in the third period, and the Tampa Bay Lightning outlasted the New York Rangers, 2-1, Saturday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.

The victory capped a dominant comeback from 2-0 down in the series and secured the Lightning's third consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final after winning the previous two.

The Lightning will take on the Colorado Avalanche, champions of the Western Conference.

After falling behind midway through the game, the Lightning showed the poise of a two-time defending champion. They rallied for another late victory to move a win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final.

Ondrej Palat scored on a deflection with 1:50 remaining to break a tie and lead the Lightning to a 3-1 victory over the Rangers on Thursday night for a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference final.

“We just stayed patient,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. "We knew it would be a challenge in this atmosphere. We knew it would be a low-scoring grinding game. We continued our game plan and got rewarded.”

Nikita Kucherov scored on a breakaway and Andrei Vasilevskiy had 33 saves Tuesday night, helping the Tampa Bay Lightning shut down the New York Rangers 4-1 and even the NHL’s Eastern Conference final at two games apiece.

The Colorado Avalanche are headed to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2001 after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-5 overtime win in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Monday. And that Cup Final berth truly felt like it had been a long time coming.

After shaking hands with the Oilers, the Avs had their on-ice moment with the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl -- and yes, they touched it, superstitions be damned. Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who was drafted second overall by Colorado in 2011 and has been with the Avalanche ever since, wasn't about to miss out on any of the experiences earned, considering how far the team has come over his career.