Editor’s note: The Orlando area is full of talented offensive linemen who are college football prospects. There has probably never been a time like this in the history of Orlando high schools. So we are recognizing this surge in talented big guys in the Class of 2025 with a six-part series, “The Heavies.”

Thursday: Parker Moss, Olympia

Friday: Alex Oats and Aleks Freyman, Bishop Moore

Today: Nico Marti, West Orange

Nico Marti is not big. By offensive line standards he’s actually small at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds.

But there is just something about the little West Orange center, who is the No. 44-ranked player in the Sentinel’s 2025 Central Florida Super60.

He’s tough and strong and he does not back down to bigger defenders. He takes advantage of his lower center of gravity, uses his tremendous leg, upper body and arm strength, and he stands up would-be rushers time after time.

So what is it that makes Marti the talented lineman that he is?

He’s not shy about his intentions on Friday night.

“I just like inflicting pain on people,” Marti said.

“This year I got switched to center and I like directing everybody where to go and having that responsibility of having the lead role on the O-line,” Marti said. “I like moving people out of the way so my guys can get through and get the yards.”

He’s fast on his feet and has honed his technique to his advantage and, as a former guard, he gives West Orange added versatility.

“My best attributes are how quick I am off the ball and how I can pull from the center position,” he said. “I have good pass pro technique and good hands and just good overall power in the run game as well.”

His size has not hurt him at the line of scrimmage, but the recruiting game has been difficult for Marti.

“My coaches have been reaching out for me and they said that everyone’s main concern is my size and how I don’t pass the eye test,” Marti said. “It’s a little frustrating because I know I got all of this potential and everything and I’m working hard, but I don’t fit the criteria for the height.

“I can only work on the things I can control.”

Marti’s aggressiveness comes from being a former defensive lineman. Now he’s quite happy as a blocking lineman.

“I just fell in love with the position and I love the brotherhood of the O-line,” he said. “I got close with my guys real quick and I just love it overall.”

He is an integral part of the offense at center.

“You got to be the most vocal on the O-line and the most familiar with the plays because you have to tell your guys what to do and you got to know all the checks and what the quarterback likes with the snaps and everything,” Marti said. “It’s a pretty important role on the field.”

He changed positions after an injury and the need for bodies on the offensive side for West Orange.

“It’s going pretty good. I’m picking it up pretty well. Snaps are getting better,” Marti said. “I’m working on that every day and I’m making sure I don’t have to worry about that during the game.”

The switch to center also will help Marti in his recruitment. He can easily play guard, but with the added knowledge and leadership qualities from center is valued by recruiters.

“I look at the schools that I would like and the centers are usually like the shorter position, so I feel like that will be good for me,” Marti said. “I’m feeling pretty good. I’m feeling confident in myself and I feel like I’m going to have a good year and I’m going to impress some coaches out there.”

CHris Hays can be found on X @OS_ChrisHays. He can be reached via email at chays@orlandosentinel.com.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/05/18/the-heavies-dont-let-the-size-fool-you-with-talented-west-orange-center-nico-marti/

It’s Day 3 of the Colorado high school state track and field meet at Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood. The Denver Post is there throughout the weekend providing live coverage. Refresh this page for the latest updates and results.

Thursday headlines

• Colorado state track meet primer: Storylines, returning champions and what to know ahead of this weekend
• In tiny Western Slope town of De Beque, Scottie Vines emerges as record-breaking high jumper

Day 1 & Day 2 headlines

• State track briefs: Peak to Peak’s Kourtney Rathke, The Classical Academy’s Anna Willis smash 3A record in final pole vault showdown
• Cherokee Trail boys win 800-meter relay title in state record time, indicating Cougars will capture second straight Class 5A team title
• In 25th year of Special Olympic/Paralympic races at state track, events are “one of the greatest things we do here”
• Overland’s Jarrius Ward breaks Class 5A state meet record in epic discus duel
• Broomfield senior Lilly Nichols sets a new Colorado standard in the field pole vault
• Colorado state track meet, Day 1: Results from Jeffco Stadium

Updates

Championship Saturday (8:30 a.m.): The third and final day of the 2024 CHSAA state track and field championships has arrived. What comes next will be a fast and furious ride to the finish line as 78 individuals, 20 relays and 10 teams are crowned state champions over the next 10 hours. There will be drama. There will be down-to-the-wire finishes. And there will probably be a few tears. No matter what, it should be fun. — Matt Schubert

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Championship winners

Class 5A boys

800: Ben Lee (ThunderRidge), 1:52.76. 3200: Dane Eike (Valor Christian), 9:07.42. 800 relay: Cherokee Trail, 1:24.93*. 3200 relay: Mountain Vista, 7:46.16. Discus: Jarrius Ward (Overland), 203-4+. High Jump: Kaleb Kimaita (Horizon), 6-7. Long Jump: Wondame Davis (Overland), 22-11.25. Pole Vault: Tyler Rowan (Monarch), 16-9.

Class 5A girls

800: Rosie Mucharsky (Denver East), 2:10.37. 3200: Bethany Michalak (Air Academy), 10:27.24. 800 relay: Eaglecrest, 1:40.42. 800 sprint medley relay: Rock Canyon, 1:45.83. 3200 relay: Mountain Vista, 9:09.83. Discus: Mary Ella Brooks (Ralston Valley), 128-11. Shot Put: Mary Ella Brooks (Ralston Valley), 40-08.50. High Jump: Petra McGowan (Rock Canyon), 5-6. Long Jump: Zenobia Witt (Eaglecrest), 19-9.50. Pole Vault: Lilly Nichols (Broomfield), 14-0.*

Class 4A boys

800: Rocco Culpepper (Niwot), 1:55.23. 3200: Will Brunner (Battle Mountain), 9:01.22+. 800 relay: Riverdale Ridge, 1:28.25. 3200 relay: Niwot, 7:43.92+. Shot Put: Montrey Strickland (Golden), 59-4. High Jump (three-way tie): Jaden Hoffman (Severance), Benson White (Conifer) and Asher Serlen (Standley Lake), 6-5. Long Jump: Dylan Jessop (Montrose), 22-8. Triple Jump: Matthew Kwong (Northfield), 47-7.25.

Class 4A girls

800: Lauren Raley (Cheyenne Mtn), 2:10.49. 3200: Addison Ritzenhein (Niwot), 10:28.54. 800 relay: Niwot, 1:40.67. 800 sprint medley relay: Longmont, 1:48.66. 3200 relay: Niwot, 9:07.21. Shot Put: Jade West (Niwot), 43-4. High Jump: Braelyn Bailey (Roosevelt), 5-7. Long Jump: Bradie Menegatti (Pueblo West), 19-03.25. Triple Jump: Bradie Menegatti (Pueblo West), 38-00.75.

Class 3A boys

800: Jackson Fagerlin (Resurrection Christian), 1:53.18. 3200: Matthew Edwards (Classical Academy), 9:28.32. 800 relay: Elizabeth, 1:27.81+. 3200 relay: Berthoud, 8:00.1. Discus: Johnny Whyrick (University), 159-0. Shot Put: Johnny Whyrick (University), 54-9.5. Triple Jump: Noah Osterloh (Classical Academy), 43-09.25. Pole Vault: Ryan Martinez (Eaton), 15-5+.

Class 3A girls

800: Isabel Allori (Liberty Common), 2:09.16+. 3200: Isabel Allori (Liberty Common), 10:39.03+. 800 relay: Classical Academy, 1:42.00+. 800 sprint medley relay: Brush, 1:49.30. 3200 relay: Liberty Common, 9:31.52. Discus: Jaedyn Kohn (Woodland Park), 129-7. High Jump: Kyla Wolitzky (Elizabeth), Lilly Weisbrod (Rifle) and Sophie McNitt (Weld Central), 5-1. Triple Jump: Kourtney Rathke (Peak to Peak), 36-9.75. Pole Vault: Kourtney Rathke (Peak to Peak), 13-10+.

Class 2A boys

800: Matthew Peery (Peyton), 1:59.39. 3200: Gabe Gatti (Peyton), 9:51.72. 800 relay: Platte Canyon, 1:30.18. 3200 relay: Peyton, 8:08.42. Discus: Jackson Bevan (Plateau Valley), 151-2. Shot Put: Judd Harvey (Meeker), 50-00.75. Long Jump: Cristian Duarte (Yuma), 21-10.75. Triple Jump: Tate Heineman (Platte Canyon), 45-4.25. Pole Vault: Cameron Glasgow (Timnath), 13-6.

Class 2A girls

800: Natalie Washburn (Timnath), 2:17.88. 3200: Nadhia Campos (The Vanguard), 11:14.55. 800 relay: Timnath, 1:45.46. 800 sprint medley relay: Strasburg, 1:50.90. 3200 relay: Timnath, 9:46.79. Shot Put: Elizabeth Brooks (Cedaredge), 39-1. High Jump: Eboselulu Omofoma (Dayspring Christian), 5-7. Long Jump: Kaitlyn Pearson (Swallows Charter Academy), 16-9. Pole Vault: Taiya Carl (Buena Vista), 11-1.

Class 1A boys

800: Josh Snyder (Cheraw), 2:01.08. 3200: Anthony Pena (Primero), 9:55.29. 800 relay: Haxtun, 1:34.34. 3200 relay: Kim, 8:44.79. Discus: Austin Wright (Arickaree), 136-11. Shot Put: Wyatt Cochran (Lone Star), 44-10.25. Long Jump: Konner Rowden-Stum (Genoa-Hugo/Karval), 22-06.50+. Triple Jump: Konner Rowden-Stum (Genoa-Hugo/Karval), 42-07.50.

Class 1A girls

800: Delaney Bond (Cheraw), 2:25.76. 3200: Kya Piel (Merino), 12:28.99. 800 relay: Deer Trail, 1:47.88+. 800 sprint medley relay: Sanford, 1:52.42. 3200 relay: Merino, 10:33.84. Discus: Jaylyn Kechter (Idalia), 137-8+. High Jump: Hannah Kugler (Prairie), 5-3. Triple Jump: Holly McDaniel (Sanford), 33-2.25. Pole Vault: Jade Kuntz (Lone Star), 10-0.

* Colorado prep record | + CHSAA state meet record

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Saturday’s schedule

Track

(Can’t see on mobile device? Click here.)

Time	Class	Gender	Event	Qualification
9:15 a.m.	National anthem
9:30 a.m.	5A	Girls	100m hurdles	FINAL
9:33 a.m.	3A	Girls	100m hurdles	FINAL
9:37 a.m.	1A	Girls	100m hurdles	FINAL
9:40 a.m.	4A	Girls	100m hurdles	FINAL
9:44 a.m.	2A	Girls	100m hurdles	FINAL
9:50 a.m.	5A	Boys	110m hurdles	FINAL
9:53 a.m.	3A	Boys	110m hurdles	FINAL
9:57 a.m.	1A	Boys	110m hurdles	FINAL
10 a.m.	4A	Boys	110m hurdles	FINAL
10:04 a.m.	2A	Boys	110m hurdles	FINAL
10:15 a.m.	Official awards
10:30 a.m.	5A	Girls	100m dash	FINAL
10:33 a.m.	5A	Boys	100m dash	FINAL
10:37 a.m.	3A	Girls	100m dash	FINAL
10:40 a.m.	3A	Boys	100m dash	FINAL
10:43 a.m.	1A	Girls	100m dash	FINAL
10:47 a.m.	1A	Boys	100m dash	FINAL
10:50 a.m.	4A	Girls	100m dash	FINAL
10:53 a.m.	4A	Boys	100m dash	FINAL
10:57 a.m.	2A	Girls	100m dash	FINAL
11 a.m.	2A	Boys	100m dash	FINAL
11:10 a.m.	5A	Girls	1600m run	FINAL
11:20 a.m.	5A	Boys	1600m run	FINAL
11:30 a.m.	5A	Girls	400m dash	FINAL
11:33 a.m.	5A	Boys	400m dash	FINAL
11:37 a.m.	3A	Girls	400m dash	FINAL
11:40 a.m.	3A	Boys	400m dash	FINAL
11:43 a.m.	1A	Girls	400m dash	FINAL
11:47 a.m.	1A	Boys	400m dash	FINAL
11:50 a.m.	4A	Girls	400m dash	FINAL
11:53 a.m.	4A	Boys	400m dash	FINAL
11:57 a.m.	2A	Girls	400m dash	FINAL
Noon	2A	Boys	400m dash	FINAL
12:10 p.m.	1A	Girls	1600m run	FINAL
12:20 p.m.	1A	Boys	1600m run	FINAL
12:30 p.m.	Graduation
12:50 p.m.	3A	Girls	1600m run	FINAL
1 p.m.	3A	Boys	1600m run	FINAL
1:10 p.m.	5A	Girls	200m dash	FINAL
1:14 p.m.	5A	Boys	200m dash	FINAL
1:18 p.m.	3A	Girls	200m dash	FINAL
1:22 p.m.	3A	Boys	200m dash	FINAL
1:26 p.m.	1A	Girls	200m dash	FINAL
1:30 p.m.	1A	Boys	200m dash	FINAL
1:34 p.m.	4A	Girls	200m dash	FINAL
1:38 p.m.	4A	Boys	200m dash	FINAL
1:42 p.m.	2A	Girls	200m dash	FINAL
1:46 p.m.	2A	Boys	200m dash	FINAL
2 p.m.	5A	Girls	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:03 p.m.	3A	Girls	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:07 p.m.	1A	Girls	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:10 p.m.	4A	Girls	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:14 p.m.	2A	Girls	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:20 p.m.	5A	Boys	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:23 p.m.	3A	Boys	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:27 p.m.	1A	Boys	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:30 p.m.	4A	Boys	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:34 p.m.	2A	Boys	300m hurdles	FINAL
2:45 p.m.	4A	Girls	1600m run	FINAL
2:55 p.m.	4A	Boys	1600m run	FINAL
3:05 p.m.	5A	Girls	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:10 p.m.	5A	Boys	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:15 p.m.	3A	Girls	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:20 p.m.	3A	Boys	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:25 p.m.	1A	Girls	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:30 p.m.	1A	Boys	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:35 p.m.	4A	Girls	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:40 p.m.	4A	Boys	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:45 p.m.	2A	Girls	4x100m relay	FINAL
3:50 p.m.	2A	Boys	4x100m relay	FINAL
4:05 p.m.	2A	Girls	1600m run	FINAL
4:15 p.m.	3A	Boys	1600m run	FINAL
4:25 p.m.	5A	Girls	4x400m relay	FINAL
4:33 p.m.	5A	Boys	4x400m relay	FINAL
4:40 p.m.	3A	Girls	4x400m relay	FINAL
4:48 p.m.	3A	Boys	4x400m relay	FINAL
4:55 p.m.	1A	Girls	4x400m relay	FINAL
5:03 p.m.	1A	Boys	4x400m relay	FINAL
5:10 p.m.	4A	Girls	4x400m relay	FINAL
5:18 p.m.	4A	Boys	4x400m relay	FINAL
5:25 p.m.	2A	Girls	4x400m relay	FINAL
5:33 p.m.	2A	Boys	4x400m relay	FINAL

Field

(Can’t see on mobile device? Click here.)

Event	Class	Gender	Time
Pole Vault	1A	Boys	8:30 a.m.
	4A	Boys	11 a.m.
	4A	Girls	2 p.m.
High Jump	3A	Boys	8:30 a.m.
	2A	Boys	11 a.m.
	1A	Boys	1:30 p.m.
Long Jump	1A	Girls	8:30 a.m.
	3A	Boys	10 a.m.
	3A	Girls	1:30 p.m.
Triple Jump	5A	Boys	8:30 a.m.
	5A	Girls	11 a.m.
	2A	Girls	2 p.m.
Shot Put	1A	Girls	8:30 a.m.
	5A	Boys	10:30 a.m.
	3A	Girls	12:30 p.m.
Discus	2A	Girls	8:30 a.m.
	4A	Boys	11 a.m.
	4A	Girls	1:30 p.m.

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/colorado-state-track-meet-day-3-results-2024/

Can the Nuggets go from gags to riches?

They were equipped to type an exclamation point to one of the oddest playoff series in franchise history and instead put a question mark at the end of the sentence.

The Nuggets did not inspire confidence on Thursday. Now, the entire season comes down to a Game 7 on Sunday.

This team has met the moment for a calendar year. Knockout games demand stars play well. And the Nuggets are not winning without 30 points from Nikola Jokic and at least 20 from Jamal Murray. But the duo needs help. It’s time for Michael Porter Jr. to return from the margins. He has averaged six points over the past three games and 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in the series. The juxtaposition remains jarring. Porter Jr. dropped 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds vs. the Lakers. The current matchup makes those numbers difficult to duplicate.

But if the Nuggets want to extend their season, Porter must be better defensively, and turn into MP3 from the corner at least three times.

The Rockies returned from the abyss with their recent seven-game winning streak. Third baseman Ryan McMahon continues to anchor the offense as he is on pace to hit 23 home runs with 83 RBIs. He struck out in 32% of his plate appearances last season, and has shaved that number to 27% this season. …

The person is more important than the player. But it is possible to have compassion for Valeri Nichushkin and hold him accountable. I don’t see a scenario where he plays for the Avs again when his six-month suspension ends in November. Whether it means eating a huge chunk of his salary or attaching a first-round draft pick in a trade, the Avs need to move on to be fair to the other players in the locker room. …

Bo Nix could very well be the Fix for the Broncos. He looks the part and clearly fits in coach Sean Payton’s offense. But I have a gnawing concern about his development: Where are the offensive weapons? The possibility exists that Courtland Sutton could get traded, even if it’s unlikely, leaving Nix with a receiver group featuring Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey. And don’t get me started about the lack of production from the tight ends. Greg Dulcich & Gabbana needs to stay healthy to make the roster. My X-factor for the group is Lucas Krull Island. …

Former Pomona High state wrestling champion and Wyoming stalwart Archie Colgan walked into his job a few years and quit. He was getting married and starting a family, but the gravitational pull of MMA was impossible to ignore. His faith has been rewarded. Colgan, who still trains in Denver, soundly defeated Tibault Golti on Friday in Paris, improving to 10-0. A lightweight title shot is starting to crystallize. “I just need to continue to take care of business and it could happen in a few more fights,” Colgan said.

Mail Time

It is not just the NBA, it is all pro sports with late start times. We moved from Denver to the East Coast last year. But I have family and friends who have lived here for many years. None of us are able to stay up to watch any sporting event that starts after 8 p.m. EST. 
— Steve Pollak, via email

I was pleasantly surprised by the response to my column about the insulting 8:41 p.m. Mountain tipoff for Game 5 of Nuggets vs. Timberwolves. Money drives these decisions as TV networks who pay billions want the most eyeballs on the product. But it doesn’t mean we should stop complaining. As more subscriptions are needed to watch sports leagues, it would be nice if convenience and respect came with the package.

Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/nuggets-win-game-7-michael-porter-jr/

By SCHUYLER DIXON

Associated Press

DALLAS — A kinder, gentler Luka Doncic has the Dallas Mavericks in the same place they were in the first round, headed home with a chance to clinch a playoff series in Game 6.

The difference is the smile on the face of the 25-year-old superstar, replacing the scowl that often accompanies his complaints toward officials over their calls or non-calls.

Doncic focused on other things in his third career 30-point playoff triple-double, leading the Mavericks to a 104-92 victory in Game 5 that put Western Conference No. 1 seed Oklahoma City on the brink of elimination.

Dallas can advance to the West finals for the second time in three seasons with a victory Saturday night at home, where the fifth-seeded Mavs beat the Los Angeles Clippers for a 4-2 series win two weeks ago.

Now the Mavs will see if Doncic can keep his focus off the officials again.

“I’m not going to sit up here and complain about him when you get on the refs, like the refs are perfect. I got to give my brother a little benefit of the doubt,” co-star Kyrie Irving said. “But I think he found a healthy balance where he was just really focused on getting us going offensively and making the right plays and making sure we kept our foot on the gas pedal. That’s one of the things he’s done as an engine on this team.”

It’s been a rough series offensively for Doncic and Irving, who have made up for it defensively.

The same could be said of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s supporting cast with the Thunder.

While the runner-up for NBA MVP has numbers similar to those he posted as the league’s No. 3 scorer from the regular season at 30 points per game, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams have been hit-and-miss.

The Mavericks focused on challenging Gilgeous-Alexander in the lane in Game 5 while Holmgren and Williams combined to go 1 of 8 from 3-point range as the Thunder shot 25% from deep (10 of 40).

“It’s our first playoff run; it’s their first playoff run,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “So everything’s a learning experience for everybody. Those guys are going to bounce back. They’re really good players that we have a ton of confidence in.”

Dallas is a victory from advancing despite Irving being nearly 10 points below his career playoff scoring average. The eight-time All-Star scored in single digits twice in his first 80 playoff games. Irving has less than 10 points that many times in this series.

“He’s taking the double teams, he’s accepting them, and trusting that his teammates are going to make the right play,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s giving everything he has on the defensive end. I’ve never seen him play defense like this in the playoffs.”

Daigneault said the Thunder felt bottled up on offense in the second, third and fourth games, although Oklahoma City made enough shots in the fourth quarter of Game 4 to rally for a victory in Dallas.

Even with a second consecutive loss at home in the series, the Thunder will be back on the road feeling they’re on the right track with their offense.

“It’s probably going to sound crazy because we didn’t shoot it well, but I thought our offense was really good,” Williams said. “I thought we tried to do the right thing the whole game. Didn’t make shots.”

THUNDER AT MAVERICKS

Dallas leads 3-2. Game 6, Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN

— NEED TO KNOW: The Mavericks might have had their best defensive effort of the season in Game 4. The offense wasn’t good enough to turn that into a victory. But Game 5 was the first time the Mavs have held the Thunder to less than 100 points in the series. Dallas is 13-0 this season when doing that. Four of the victories have been in the playoffs.

— KEEP AN EYE ON: Lu Dort’s primary job for the Thunder is defending Doncic. But with the offense struggling, Oklahoma City could use his 3-point game. Dort is 9 of 29 (31%) from deep in the series after shooting 52% (12 of 23) in the first-round sweep of New Orleans.

— INJURY WATCH: Doncic has an extra day of rest in his playoff-long struggle with a sprained right knee and a sore left ankle. He also had a hard fall onto his back in Game 3. “I think an extra day can help with the bumps and bruises and give you a little bit more gas in the tank,” Kidd said. “But once the game starts, the nagging injuries will pop up.”

— PRESSURE IS ON: The Thunder have to think about how they’re defending the corner 3, although they believe it’s a pick-your-poison situation with trying to slow Doncic and Irving along with Dallas’ pick-and-roll game. P.J. Washington Jr. did most of his damage there in three consecutive games of at least 20 points. Derrick Jones Jr. used the corner 3 to spark a playoff career best of 19 points in Game 5.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/05/18/a-kinder-gentler-luka-doncic-has-mavs-on-verge-of-series-win-over-top-seeded-thunder/

Hope is no longer a strategy, O Captain, my Captain. Not a working strategy. Not a Stanley Cup-winning strategy, at any rate. Without Gabe Landeskog, the Avs are stuck spinning their wheels in neutral, hoping for the hockey gods to give them a push.

“I’d like to be able for him to come back and be able to play,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said late Friday after his team’s playoff dreams ended with a gut punch of a loss at home, this time to Dallas, for a second straight spring. “And I think that can happen. And if anybody can do it, Gabe can do it.”

Amen. If you’re not rooting like heck for Landy to be back out on that ice, raising the bar and setting the tone, you don’t have a soul. Let’s be clear: The Avs aren’t in this championship window without him.

But let’s be clear on something else, too, the uncomfortable reality even if you wear burgundy and blue glasses: This franchise has been running in place for almost two years, in part, because of him. Because of that blasted knee. Because of those blasted surgeries. Because of that blasted hope.

None of this is Landy’s fault. Are you kidding? Nobody this side of Nathan MacKinnon wants to finish what the ’22 Stanley Cup champs started more than big No. 92, where the buck, and the bull junk, always stops.

But like the castaways on Gilligan’s Island, the Avs look as if they’ve spent 18 months stranded on the beach, singing songs by the campfire, waiting for a rescue ship that may or may not ever come.

“I’m optimistic and hopeful,” Bednar said of his absent captain. “(But) I don’t think we got close to getting him back (this postseason).”

It’s the teasing, the hope, that kills you. And we get it. You completely understand why the Avs would treat Landy’s knee with kid gloves. Why they’d give him all the time he needs. As with Valeri Nichushkin, the other elephant in Bednar’s locker room, nobody on this roster steps in and does what the captain did — and presumably still can.

Landeskog’s absence was especially felt in this second-round series, when a team as sound, physical and deep as Dallas needed to have its teeth rattled a few times. When Jamie Benn cheap-shotted Devon Toews in Game 2, for example, there were no immediate reprisals, no one stepping forward to enforce on-ice justice.

“What, do you just want us to take penalties and fight?” veteran defenseman Jack Johnson replied after Game 6 when I asked about this roster’s toughness. “Is that what you want?

“I mean, toughness comes out in different ways. If you just want penalties and to fight, you’re not going to get very far in the playoffs.

“The team that won (in 2022) had plenty of toughness … I don’t think that anyone looked down the list of that (title) team and saw a lot of goons.”

No, but they did look down that list to see Landy and Nazem Kadri — two dudes who gave on this stage as good as they got.

The longer general manager Chris MacFarland is hamstrung by sentiment, the longer this championship window remains in stasis. As long as Gabe’s future and Nichushkin’s status with the Avs are murky, so are your parade plans.

It’s that simple.

O Captain, my Captain, come back soon. Or don’t come back at all. The island’s getting lonely. Lord Stanley’s skies are getting darker sooner here with each passing year.

“I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that,” Bednar said of Gabe and Val. “You hate having that uncertainty because it makes it hard to plan … for management, for Chris and Joe (Sakic) …

“Those are obviously a couple of guys who have significant cap hits. I don’t know where that goes or (how) far this goes this summer. That’s a challenge. That’s a big challenge.”

It is. Meanwhile, the wheels keep spinning. And this much is clear: The hockey gods are done doing Bednar any more favors. From here on out, if the Avs are going to move forward, MacFarland’s going to have get out of the car and do the pushing himself.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/gabe-landeskog-avalanche-knee-injury-what-now/

Of course it came down to the puck on Matt Duchene’s stick.

It figures because of his history in this building and this state.

It figures, too, because he had his fingerprints all over Game 6.

Double overtime. Running on fumes. A week that turned the Avalanche’s season upside down.

It’s been a long time since Duchene played for Colorado at this point (although, fans still boo him at Ball Arena). It’ll be a long time before he forgets this one. He just has to remember exactly what happened, first.

“I don’t even know. I think I ended up on my knees,” said Duchene, who did indeed drop to the ice, make a big heart shape with his arms and then punched through it before getting mobbed by his teammates. “I have no idea, to be honest with you. It’s just elation, right? Hard-fought series. They’re a hell of a team, obviously.

“They were really good the last two games and they pushed us.”

The 33-year-old was the No. 3 overall pick by Colorado in the 2009 draft, then played the first nine years of his career for the Avalanche before he asked to be traded and was eventually dealt for four players and three draft picks in November 2017.

Two times before he slammed home the game-winner from point blank range 91-plus minutes into the night, Duchene nearly helped the Stars to victory.

In the first overtime, he won a faceoff and posted up in front of the net, tussling with Cale Makar. Mason Marchment ripped a shot cleanly past Alexander Georgiev, but Duchene was called for interfering with Georgiev and the call withstood a long review.

“I haven’t seen the replay, really, of the no goal,” Duchene said. “I’ll leave it at that. I think you just stay with it. It can be a little tough to reset after you think it’s over and you hope it’s over. It’s a gut punch a little bit, but that’s what we do.”

Early in the second overtime, Duchene got a walk-in chance on Georgiev but couldn’t find the back of the net as the goaltender splayed out to make a stop.

Then, finally, he put Dallas into the Western Conference Final. He’s rarely been part of a run like this during his 15 seasons.

That’s nine years in Colorado, one-plus in Ottawa, a stretch run in Columbus and four in Nashville before signing with the Stars in the offseason.

“At 33, I think there’s a certain level of appreciation that you have that you wouldn’t have had as a young player,” Duchene said. “… I probably let it stress me out more than it’s been fun at times just because you want it so bad, but I’m starting to relax a little bit more and it’s getting to be a lot of fun as we go on here.”

Now the Stars are into the final four and the veteran center will be a key part of the puzzle as they try to find eight more wins.

“Really happy for ‘Dutchy’. He’s ridden the confidence roller coaster here in the second half (of the season),” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “Some high highs and some low lows. It was probably about as low as he could be after Game 5. That’s why our group is special. I thought they rallied around him and he was maybe our best player tonight.”

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/matt-duchene-avalanche-stars-game-6/

The Colorado Avalanche lost 2-1 in overtime to the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the second round of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Friday night, May 17, 2024. Dallas won the series 4-2.

https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/avalanche-stars-game-6-nhl-stanley-cup-playoffs-photos/

Instant reaction from the Avalanche’s 2-1 loss against Dallas in Game 6 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series.

Georgie’s finest. Fistfights aren’t pretty. They sometimes require just hanging tough. With the season hanging in the balance, Alexandar Georgiev patrolled the crease with little room for error. Colorado’s high-flying offense found itself in a grinder. This wasn’t a night when the big fellas could easily cover up a softie.

Jaime Benn stormed down the center, in behind Cale Makar, and took a perfect pass to level the game at one early in the third period. Otherwise, Georgiev was on his toes from the start. He fended off a second-period flurry. He didn’t put the puck in harm’s way often. He added to the highlight reel. He ignited the Ball Arena crowd in several rounds of “Georgie, Georgie” chants. He survived an overtime review of a Dallas winner waved off due to contact in the crease. He stopped 10 shots in the first overtime and laid to stop a Matt Duchene walk-in attempt early in the second.

He gave the Avs every chance to claw some way, somehow to the finish. They just couldn’t. Duchene finally punched the Stars’ ticket and knocked out Colorado 11:42 into the second overtime.

On the outs. Just like that, it’s lights out on the Avalanche. A few weeks from now there will be two Stanley Cup champions between the 2022 team and the now. The division was hotly contested the whole year. Dallas is a worthy Western Conference Final entrant. And yet this will feel like a what-could-have-been for Jared Bednar’s team. What if Valeri Nichushkin hadn’t been suspended for six months right before Game 4? What if the Avs hadn’t fallen behind 3-1 in this series? What if Jonathan Drouin converted a near goal early in the first overtime on a find from Nathan MacKinnon? Or Arturi Lehkonen in the final minute of the first overtime.

It’s hard to win a Cup even in the best of circumstances. Now it’s tee times and beaches instead of Vancouver or Edmonton.

Second chances. The Stars won late in the first overtime. Then they didn’t. Then they maybe should have, but still didn’t.

Mason Marchment ripped a shot cleanly past Georgiev to send the Stars through to the Western Conference Final. Except an official adamantly waved off the goal immediately, saying Georgiev had been contacted by a Dallas player in the crease.

Duchene won the faceoff and dove to the net, mixing it up with Makar in front of Georgiev. The contact was light and most of it came after Makar appeared to push Duchene into Georgiev.

A long review put this call in front of the officials: Uphold the call or reverse it and end Colorado’s season on its home ice. They kept the call in place and played on. A massive break for Colorado that extended their season for minutes rather than days or weeks.

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https://www.denverpost.com/2024/05/18/avs-stars-game-6-alexandar-georgiev-matt-duchene/

For 236 days, the Colorado Avalanche was a Stanley Cup contender during the 2023-24 NHL season.

The calculus changed on Day 237, and the memories of how this campaign unraveled in swift fashion may only be rivaled by the what ifs and what could have beens in the decades to come.

It all came apart in a few days, weeks short of the intended destination. The final stop was a 2-1 overtime loss Friday night in Game 6 to the Dallas Stars at Ball Arena, but the end of the road started at the beginning of the week.

“It’s a little bit of a shock when it ends like that,” said Avs forward Zach Parise, who has decided he will retire after this season after joining the club midseason for one last crack at a Stanley Cup. “It’s really tough. We were able to get a great win down there in Game 5. You wish you we would have bene able to get one of those first two home games. That was the big difference. Unfortunately, it is tough to come back from (down) 3-1.”

Former Avalanche center Matt Duchene scored in the second overtime for the Stars, who overcame a second-intermission deficit and advanced to the Western Conference Final. Dallas will face either Edmonton or Vancouver for the chance to play in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Duchene pounced on a loose puck to the left of Avalanche goalie Alexandar Georgiev with 8:18 remaining in the second overtime. He had been part of a controversial no-goal for the Stars in the first overtime session as well.

“It’s heartbreaking to put all that effort into a game like that,” Avs forward Jonathan Drouin said. “It was two very good teams going at it in overtime. I thought we had our looks to score a couple and we didn’t.”

Jamie Benn evened this game at 1-1 just 1:54 into the third period. Evgenii Dadonov made a great backhand pass to Benn as he cut to the net, and the Stars captain tucked a backhanded shot past Georgiev.

Mikko Rantanen helped the Avalanche score first for the first time in this series with a power-play goal in the second period. Stars forward Wyatt Johnston was playing keep away and killing time in the Colorado end during the power play when Cale Makar knocked him to the ice with a big hit and the Avs went the other way.

The aggressiveness of the Dallas penalty kill has been a theme in this series, but the Stars were surprisingly passive after Colorado got set up. Eventually that led to Rantanen getting the puck to the left of Jake Oettinger near the goal line. He had time to pick his corner, and he did it at 5:48 of the second.

The Avs were down 2-1 in this series, but Drouin was set to return to the lineup and the team finished its morning skate Monday morning confident that a fully-operational battle station was ready to even the series with Dallas and continue its pursuit of the franchise’s fourth championship.

Then Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months just before the start of Game 4. And Devon Toews could not play because of illness. Game 4 was a washout.

Toews returned for Game 5, and the 2022 champions made one last stand. It was not enough, and a long offseason that begins with more questions than answers is here.

This was a roster built to win a second championship in three years. It was bolstered with reinforcements before the trade deadline to make a run to 16 playoff victories possible. The Avs ended up 10 shy of the goal.

“(Management) felt like we had the group in here, and we believed we had a group in here, so to fall short … that’s when it stings a little bit more,” Toews said.

There were plenty of great moments to remember from this campaign, once the emotions of the past three days subside. MacKinnon had a season for the ages, setting the franchise record with 140 points. Makar set a new standard for defensemen with 90, topping the mark he set two years ago.

If there was a comeback player of the year award in the NHL, Drouin would be a top contender. Samuel Girard found the help he needed, and played the best hockey of his career.

The Avalanche still has one of the best cores in the NHL, with MacKinnon, Makar, Rantanen and Toews in the primes of their careers. What they don’t have is clarity on two of the most expensive players who should be part of that core.

Captain Gabe Landeskog has returned to the ice in limited capacity, but now has not played in an NHL game in two full seasons. Nichushkin is suspended until at least mid-November, and it could be longer. That is more than $13 million of salary cap space for two players who, when right, are capable of being difference-makers during a Cup run.

But the Avs have no idea if and when either will be available again. There are other questions as well – Drouin leads a group of eight unrestricted free agents that dressed for Game 5, and cap space will be limited. Rantanen is now entering the final year of his contract and is eligible to sign a new one in July.

This team began the season as a Cup contender. The way it played shortly after the trade deadline and while it wiped out Winnipeg in five games cemented it as one.

Now, the wait begins again. What will come of the 2024-25 Avalanche could hinge on Landeskog’s repaired knee, Nichushkin’s latest attempt at the rehabilitation process and how general manager Chris MacFarland’s team can replenish the depth around the world-class core.

“Yeah, I don’t know the to answer to that,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You have having that uncertainty because it makes it harder to plan.

“That’s a challenge. That’s a big challenge.”

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