In one of the most unpredictable first rounds in NHL Stanley Cup Playoff history, the Colorado Avalanche is staying hungry and feeling confident looking toward to the second round.

The Avalanche, the eighth seed in in the Western Conference, advanced to the next stage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after it defeated the Calgary Flames, the West's regular-season champions, in the first round. The series lasted five games, including four-straight wins for Colorado. It was the first opening series victory for the club since 2008.

The Calgary Flames were one of the best teams in the NHL during the regular season when it came to generating offense and creating scoring chances.

That wasn't the case during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Colorado Avalanche flipped the script against Calgary and is now preparing for Round 2 after winning the best-of-seven series in five games.

The Colorado Avalanche entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the league and is the first club from the Western Conference to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Colorado defeated the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Friday night in Game 5 of their first-round series at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.

After dropping the first contest, the Avs won four straight games to close out the best-of-seven set. The team went on an 8-0-2 run down the stretch to clinch the final playoff spot in the West.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Friday night in Game 5 to win the first-round series 4-1.

Round 2 tickets for Games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary) at Pepsi Center are on sale now at AltitudeTickets.com.

The Colorado Avalanche has pushed the Calgary Flames to the brink of the elimination but picking up a fourth victory against the Western Conference's top team during the regular season will be its toughest challenge yet.

Colorado has won three-straight contests in the series to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven set, with Game 5 tonight at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.

"I think there is just that much more desperation on their side," said Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog. "For them, they're at home, they want to give it their all."

The Colorado Avalanche takes on the Calgary Flames in Game 5 of the first-round series tonight at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Avs lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will look to advance to Round 2 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Colorado is not expected to make any changes to its lineup, meaning forward Derick Brassard (illness) and defenseman Samuel Girard (upper body) could miss their third straight games.

With a thrilling 3-2 overtime win in Game 4 at Pepsi Center on Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche took a 3-1 series lead over the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The victory set up a potential series-clinching Game 5 for the Avs on Friday at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. If necessary, the first-round series would shift back to Denver for Game 6 on Sunday following the Friday night matchup.

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Avalanche Playoff Notes

MAKAR MAKES HISTORY: Cale Makar made his NHL debut in Game 3 on Monday night and scored his first NHL goal to become the first player in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history to register his first marker while making his NHL debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's also the seventh player in NHL history and first-ever defenseman to make his league debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and score a goal.

HIGH-FLYING OFFENSE: Colorado's 6-2 win in Game 3 marked the first time the Avs have scored six or more goals in a postseason contest since Game 2 of the 2002 Western Conference Conference Semifinals vs. San Jose (8-2 win on May 4, 2002). The Avalanche put up 56 shots in Monday night's contest, its second-most in a playoff game in franchise history and one shy of the record (57) set in Game 4 of the 1996 Western Conference Semifinals at Chicago (May 8, 1996). It was the franchise's most shots in a regulation playoff game and the most by an NHL team in a non-overtime finish since the Florida Panthers put up 61 in a victory over Pittsburgh in the 1996 Eastern Conference Final (May 24, 1996).

POSTSEASON PRODUCTION: Nathan MacKinnon has 21 points (8g/13a) in 17 career playoff games, the highest points-per-game average (1.24) among active players and tied for sixth (Bobby Orr, Mike Bossy) in Stanley Cup Playoff history among players with at least 10 points.

The Colorado Avalanche found itself down 2-0 with 13 minutes left in regulation in Game 4 of its first-round series with the Calgary Flames, but the game was far from over.

The Avs fought back to defeat the Flames 3-2 in overtime at Pepsi Center on Wednesday and extended their lead to 3-1 in the best-of-seven set.

J.T. Compher got Colorado on the board first when he collected the puck on a rebound and sent it into the Flames net. He now has a point in each of the last three contests (two goals, one assist) and is tied for second on the Avalanche in postseason goals.

It's stuff of fairytale, made for the big screen, maybe even legend. Whatever it is, it's hard to script a better start to Cale Makar's NHL tenure with the Colorado Avalanche.

Nearly 35 hours after he signed his first pro contract, Makar scored his first NHL goal--on his first shot on goal, nonetheless--to help the Avalanche top the Calgary Flames 6-2 on Monday in Game 3 of the clubs' Round 1 series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"It was pretty exciting," Makar said of his first game he's dreamed about playing in since he was a kid. "The nerves went away after the first period, but it was fun."