DENVER ( Associated Press) — What emerged from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night wasn’t their championship pedigree or ability to bounce back, but rather jittery nerves and perhaps the realization that the Colorado Avalanche was fast approaching their crown. .
out of muscle. disappoint. Out-tossed.
Andrei Vasilevsky and the two-time Stanley Cup champion were defeated 7–0 by an avalanche, losing not only the game but also his calm and his mojo in the process.
It marked the second time in Wasilewski’s 465-game NHL career that he allowed multiple goalscorers in a game.
Captain Steven Stamkos was hollering and angling for the fight with the Lightning down 3-0 in the first period. Corey Perry went to the penalty box at the end of second, with Tampa Bay trailing 5–0, feuding with JT Komper at the Colorado crease.
There were 4:22 left in the third period and the results were long settled.
The Lightning had reduced their 4–3 overtime loss to the Avalanche in Game 1, insisting that they would bounce back behind their legendary goaltender now that they would get a first look at the speed and skill that the Avalanche throws at teams. .
They were equally convinced that they had understood Darcy Kuemper after wiping out a pair of two-goal losses in the opener before losing in overtime.
Instead, the Lightning became the third team to allow three or more first-period goals in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, joining the Minnesota North Stars in 1981 against the Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1936 against Detroit . Red Wings.
The Avalanche held both their lead and head all night and are now halfway to snatch Lord Stanley’s Cup from the two-time Reigns as the series moves to Tampa Bay for Game 3 on Monday night.
Lightning’s confidence to win Game 2 and take control of the series was well established. They were the best bounce-back team in the NHL, winning back-to-back titles and reaching their third consecutive Stanley Cup, going 18–1 after a playoff loss since the start of the first round in 2020. Vasilevsky was in the net for all those games.
Make it 18-2.
Colorado defenseman Kale Makar’s short-handed goal made it 6–0 at the start of the third period and he added salt to the gap with a power-play goal as the Avalanche cut his league-best home record to 58–8–5. improved. The last 71 games at the Ball Arena, including the playoffs.
They have gone 7-2 at home this year and 7-0 on the road in the playoffs.
The Lightning have yet to beat the Avalanche this season, having lost twice in the regular season to Denver, once in overtime and once in a shootout.
If they don’t fix their myriad issues quickly, they won’t get a chance to return to Denver after games 3 and 4 in Tampa.
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