They were relentless. They were resilient.
And they were rewarded.
After the Colorado Avalanche rallied from a two-goal deficit in in the third period, forward Arturri Lehkonen scored the game-winning and series-clinching goal 1:19 into overtime to give the Avs a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers and a 4-0 sweep of the Western Conference Final.
The Avalanche advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since the 2000-2001 season.
The Avalanche opened the scoring on Cale Makar's goal at 3:48 in the first period. The Oilers answered with three goals in the second period and led 3-1 at the second intermission.
Colorado trailed 4-2 when Zach Hyman's goal at 3:48 of the third period.
The Avalanche then kicked the offense into high gear.
Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each scored in a span of 5:49 and the Avs led 5-4 with 5:13 remaining.
Edmonton's Zack Kassian tied the game at five with 3:22 left and the game went to overtime.
It did not take long for the Avs to win it. Cale Makar blasted a shot from the outside, Lehkonen raised his stick as he cut towards the net, then controlled the puck and shot it past Oilers goalie Mike Smith for the deciding goal.
The Avs are now 7-0 on the road in the playoffs.
MORE ON THE AVS WIN HERE
The Avalanche will take on the winner of the New York Rangers-Tampa Bay Lightning Eastern Conference Final in the Stanley Cup Final.