Two of Colorado’s shots came while skating short-handed, killing off Tampa Bay’s first power play of the night. The Lightning have rebounded from playing poorly in Games 1 and 2 to make it interesting by neutralizing Colorado’s speed, limiting the Avalanche’s scoring opportunities and turning up the pressure on Kuemper, who was barely tested when he faced just 16 shots in a 7-0 blowout in Game 2.Ĭirelli’s goal was the fastest in a Stanley Cup Final since 2006, and the Lightning set the tone for another busy night for Kuemper by outshooting the Avalanche 17-4 in the opening period. The Avalanche last hoisted the Cup in 2001. Tampa Bay is trying to become the first team to win at least three straight Stanley Cup titles since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83. He has rebounded from allowing 11 goals in Games 1 and 2 to limit the high-scoring Avalanche to five the past two games. Nathan MacKinnon scored on a second-period power play for Colorado, and Andrew Cogliano tied it early in the third.ĭarcy Kuemper, pulled from Game 3 after giving up five goals in a 6-2 loss, stopped 37 shots and had an assist on the winning goal for the Avalanche. They took a 2-1 lead into the third period.
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Game 5 is Friday night in Denver, where Colorado won the first two games of the series and is 7-2 this postseason.Īnthony Cirelli scored 36 seconds into the game and Victor Hedman also scored in regulation for the Lightning. Vasilevskiy stopped Logan O’Connor on a breakaway, and Colorado had a shot clang off the post and another hit the crossbar before Kadri ended it. The Avalanche outshot the Lightning 11-3 in the extra period. “I figured it was time to join the party.” “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” the Colorado center added. A resilient win,” said Kadri, who had been sidelined since being injured during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against Edmonton. The call is not subject to video review.īack in the lineup after being sidelined since June 4 with a thumb injury, Kadri skated in on Andrei Vasilevskiy and slipped a shot under the goaltender’s right arm to give Colorado a 3-1 series lead. Each of the four officials said they did not see a “too many men on the ice” situation on the winning play.
The NHL released a statement saying the penalty is a judgment call that can be made by the on-ice officials. Because we probably still should be playing.” You’re going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal,” Cooper added. But this one is going to sting much more than others,” Cooper said. Without specifically saying Tampa Bay felt Colorado had too many men on the ice for the winning goal, Lightning coach Jon Cooper suggested the goal should not have been allowed.