Colorado reach Stanley Cup finals

Colorado captain Joe Sakic got the winner

Colorado captain Joe Sakic scored a power-play goal 24 seconds into sudden death overtime to lead the Avalanche into the Stanley Cup finals with a 2-1 victory over the St Louis Blues.

Colorado triumphed 4-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals to reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1996, the year they won their only NHL championship.

"It was a great team win, and once again Joe Sakic comes through for us," said delighted Avalanche coach Bob Hartley.

The Avalanche, who will open the Cup finals at home after posting the best regular season record in the league, await the winner of the New Jersey-Pittsburgh series.

The defending NHL champions New Jersey lead 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals and can wrap up the series with a win at home on Tuesday night.

Colorado blew a 3-1 series lead against the Los Angeles Kings in the previous round and were determined not to let that happen again.

Power play

The Avalanche began overtime with a man advantage after rookie Blues defenseman Alex Khavanov was called for a four minute high-sticking penalty in retaliation for a hit by Milan Hejduk at 17:44 of the third period.

Colorado had failed to get off a shot during the final 2:16 of the third period with the man advantage.

But with fresh ice and fresh legs it did not take long for them to strike on the power play in overtime.

Hejduk, who had scored the first Colorado goal on a power play in the second period, passed across to Rob Blake who unleashed a slap shot from the top of the right circle.

Alex Tanguay, camped in front of the St Louis goal, deflected the puck and it hit rookie goaltender Brent Johnson on the skate.

But the rebound fell to Sakic to bury for the series-clinching goal.

After a scoreless first period, Hejduk broke the deadlock at 11:20 in the second period with his seventh goal of the playoffs.

Just over two minutes later Bryce Salvador got the equaliser for St Louis.