Alex Newhook's family gets ready to hit the road as Avalanche advance to Stanley Cup final

Newfoundland's Alex Newhook is heading to a place where few fellow islanders have been before — the NHL Stanley Cup final. 

The Colorado Avalanche — who drafted Newhook 16th overall in 2019 — defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-5 in overtime Monday night to complete a series sweep and move on to the biggest stage in professional hockey. 

The St. John's star had 33 points in 71 games with the Avalanche during the regular season and has two points in six playoff games so far this year.

At home in Newfoundland, the Newhook family has been closely following the 21-year-old's second run at hockey's biggest prize. Last year, the Avalanche were defeated in the Western Conference semifinals, with Newhook chipping in a goal — his first NHL marker — and an assist over eight playoff games.

"I've been very excited. I've been watching every game, kind of hoping, hoping, hoping, and their team really pulled it off last night," Paula Newhook, Alex's mother, said Tuesday. 

"It's very jittery over here. It's super-exciting."

Weekend matches draw more of a crowd due to the 3½-hour time difference from games played out west, said Paula. Monday night's game was watched by a small but loyal fanbase of family members whose focus was on No. 18 and an Avalanche win that would bring the club back to the final for the first time since 2001. 

Paula said neither she, nor Alex, are getting ahead of themselves as Colorado is still four wins away from hoisting Stanley's mug, but they are taking at least a day to celebrate before the team gets back to work, preparing to face either the New York Rangers or Tampa Bay Lightning, who are still battling it out in the Eastern Conference final.

The Stanley Cup final might not start for another week and a half,