Claude Lemieux sees Stanley Cup potential in Avalanche, much like his title team in '95-96

DENVER (AP) — The Stanley Cup was in the building Thursday night as part of the pregame celebration to honor the 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche squad.

It could be in the building again later this season, too.

At least, longtime forward Claude Lemieux believes so. He's been on four Stanley Cup-winning teams, including the ‘95-96 Avalanche squad. This team, he surmised after watching a 6-2 win over the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers, has all the necessary ingredients.

“I love watching them play,” said Lemieux, whose squad back then won the Mile High City’s first major professional championship in their first season in town after relocating from Quebec. “They’re fun to watch.”

In a lot of ways, this version is built in the image of that squad. No real surprise there, given the architect of this team is Hall of Famer turned front office executive Joe Sakic.

Back then, Sakic, the captain, and fellow Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg helped provide the scoring punch in a season that ended with a Stanley Cup Final sweep over Florida. Colorado had a blue line that include a rugged defender in Adam Foote and a scoring defenseman in Sandis Ozolinsh. They also had another Hall of Famer in goaltender Patrick Roy.

This team has that same sort of makeup. They have an elite goal scorer (Nathan MacKinnon), leadership (captain Gabriel Landeskog), even more leadership (40-year-old Brent Burns), a scoring defenseman (Cale Makar) and reliable goaltending (Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood).

The current crew watched Thursday night as the players from the '95-96 squad were recognized. They heard the applause. They then went out and put on a show for them.

“This team knows what it takes,” Lemieux said. “They have players, quite a few of them, that were on the ‘22 Cup. I think it could be the ’26 Cup.”

The Avalanche (22-2-7) have a league-leading 51 points so far this season as they became the sixth team in the last 20 years to reach the 50-point plateau in 31 or fewer games. What's more, they still haven't lost a game at home in regulation (12-0-2).

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar thinks it was a valuable experience having the older players back in the building. The current roster briefly got to chat with them Thursday morning, and hear some stories.

“Obviously, they accomplished that two years before I was born,” Makar cracked. “But I've obviously heard a lot about it. It’s pretty cool they bring legends like that back.”

Some of the Avalanche players who made the trip to the rink for the ceremony from the 1995-96 squad included Forsberg, Stephane Yelle, Valeri Kamensky, Lemieux, Ozolinsh, Mike Ricci and, of course, Sakic.

“For them to be able to come back and get together as a group and share their stories with our guys and amongst one another, I’m sure it’s been a great couple days for them,” Bednar said. “We’ve been really happy that they were able to come and visit us.”

It gave the old-timers a chance to stroll down memory lane.

“When it’s happening, when you’re in the middle of it, you don’t quite appreciate it as much as you should,” said Lemieux, who also won Stanley Cup titles with Montreal (1985-86) and two with the New Jersey Devils (1994-5, 1999-00). “So you get to relive it now.”

How has the game has changed?

“We think we’re better — no, we’re just kidding,” Lemieux said. “The game’s change. It’s not as physical as it was, but to counter that physicality they've got so much more skills. So we appreciate the game. We appreciate their skills and everything they bring.”

The get-together provided a chance to remember old teammates, too. The late Chris Simon was represented during the on-ice ceremony by his children. He died in 2024 at 52.

“It’s very difficult, and especially with Chris passing at such a young age,” Lemieux said. “We have to count our blessings — be grateful for the days that we have and enjoy and appreciate those times when we get together."

Lemieux certainly enjoyed being around this new cast of Avalanche.

“We hope we bring them good luck," Lemieux said, "and inspire them to win another Cup.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Members from the 1996 Stanley Cup Championship team of the Colorado Avalanche gather for a group shot during a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of winning the Cup before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and member of team that won the Stanley Cup in 1996, is introduced during a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the win before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Peter Forsberg waves as he is introduced as one of the members from the Colorado Avalanche's 1996 Stanley Cup Championship team during a ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the victory before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Members of the 1996 Stanley Cup Championship team from the Colorado Avalanche are honored to mark the 30th anniversary of winning the Cup before an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Pathum Nissanka's unbeaten 100 powered Sri Lanka into the T20 World Cup Super 8s and left former champion Australia's prospects hanging by a thread on Monday.

Sri Lanka thrashed Australia by eight wickets with two overs to spare. Pavan Rathnayake hit the winning runs straight after Nissanka reached his century off 52 balls and was greeted by massive cheers in Pallekele International Stadium. The packed crowd roared again one delivery later when Rathanayake finished the match with a boundary to deep square.

The third win from three matches ensured Sri Lanka advanced to the second round, two years after failing to do so for the first time at the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Australia could be knocked out in the group stage for the first time since 2009 if unbeaten Zimbabwe beats Ireland on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, England also reached the Super 8s after a surviving a scare from Italy in Kolkata. England came back from 105-5 to post 202-7. Italy was cut short on 178.

In New Delhi, Afghanistan shrugged off back-to-back defeats to finally register a win after beating the United Arab Emirates by five wickets. That secured South Africa a spot in the Super 8s.

Despite the short boundaries, Australia was all out for 181 and Sri Lanka chased it down in style at 184-2.

Kusal Mendis joined Nissanka at 8-1 and was the main aggressor in their 97-run stand off 66 balls. Mendis hit his third half-century of the tournament then was out for 51 off 38 in the 13th over.

Nissanka then finished the match with Rathnayake, scoring 51 of the last 79 runs. He achieved his second T20 century and the second for Sri Lanka in men's T20 World Cup history after bashing five sixes and 10 boundaries. Rathnayake was 28 not out.

The Australians started the match impressively. Captain Mitch Marsh, making his first tournament appearance after a groin injury and Travis Head opened with 104 runs off 51 deliveries. Head was 56 off 29 with three sixes and seven boundaries when he was caught at long-off.

Cameron Green was stumped by Kusal Mendis on 3 and Marsh went in the next over, lbw to Dushan Hemantha, who took 3-37.

Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana injured his calf after only four deliveries and hobbled off with help, and Sri Lanka Cricket said he will undergo a scan on Tuesday.

Australia was 151-4 after 15 overs but lost 30-6 in the last five, fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera claiming 3-36.

“One of the best performances in the recent past,” Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said. “We were still positive after losing Pathirana. We had that confidence and knew about the wicket. Everyone wanted to contribute somehow: Chameera, Theekshana, Hemantha. Pathirana is a big miss.

England, defending 202, was threatened as No. 6 batter Grant Stewart hit 45 off 23.

But Sam Curran (3-22) and Jamie Overton (3-18) held their nerve in the last two overs and Italy succumbed for 178.

Ben Manenti smashed a swashbuckling 25-ball 60 with six sixes, reviving Italy from 22-3 with Justin Mosca. Then Manenti and Mosca fell within three overs of each other.

Bowling allrounder Stewart, who had only two runs from Italy's previous two matches, took up the challenge. He and Jaspreet Singh took 21 runs in the 18th over off Adil Rashid and England was sweating. But when Stewart skewed Curran to short third in the 19th over Italy was done.

England was also in deep trouble earlier at 105-5 in the 13th over with the Italians sharing the wickets around.

Will Jacks saved the two-time champion English when he thumped 53 not out off 22 balls including four sixes. His and England's relief was palpable afterwards.

"The most important thing is we've qualified but we need to be better, simple as that,” Jacks said.

Afghanistan still had only a slim chance of advancing from Group D after its first win at the expense of UAE. The victory secured South Africa a spot in the Super 8s and New Zealand had a chance to secure the other group spot if it beats Canada in Chennai on Tuesday.

UAE was restricted to 160-9 with Azmatullah Omarzai taking 4-15 in four overs.

Omarzai then hit 40 not out off 21 balls and opener Ibrahim Zadran cracked 53 off 41 for Afghanistan to reach 162-5 with four balls to spare.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis plays a shot during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/ Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka celebrates his century during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/ Eranga Jayawardena)

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka celebrates his century during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/ Eranga Jayawardena)

Italy's Crishan Kalugamage, second from left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of England's Sam Curran during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Italy's Crishan Kalugamage, second from left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of England's Sam Curran during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's Sam Curran celebrates the wicket of Italy's Grant Stewart during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's Sam Curran, second from left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Italy's Grant Stewart during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

England's Sam Curran hits a six during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Italy in Kolkata, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan, centre, watches United Arab Emirates' Sohaib Khan after bowls a delivery during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates in New Delhi, India, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)