DENVER — One underrated attribute of a spicy rivalry is an eerie sense of déjà vu.
When any moment can remind a fan base of its best, worst or angriest memories against the opponent, the friction must be flourishing. By that virtue, the Avalanche and Blues might form the NHL’s fiercest rivalry going right now.
They picked up this season where they left off in the playoffs. From the Avs’ three-goal collapse in May to their series-ending buzzer-beater the next game, from a desperate 6-on-3 thwarted by a nemesis netminder in November to another Colorado buzzer-beater in December, there was every reason to expect more great theater between the enemies Saturday at Ball Arena. The visiting team triumphed in each of those four most recent thrillers.
