Avalanche Classics: Game Four, 2022 Stanley Cup Final 

It’s time to take a trip down memory lane, Avs Faithful.

On June 22, 2022, the Avalanche entered Game Four of the Stanley Cup up 2-1 on the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the conclusion of the game, the series would either be tied at two games heading back to Denver, or the Avalanche would be one win away from capturing their first Stanley Cup in 21 years.

How We Arrived Here

The Avalanche started the series strong, taking a 3-1 lead into the first intermission of Game One, but the Lightning scored a pair of goals in the second period to tie the game. After a scoreless third period, we headed to overtime, where Andre Burakovsky scored the game-winning goal for the Avalanche at 1:23 of the period.

Game Two was a completely different story. The Avalanche dominated from start to finish, leading 3-0 after the first period, 5-0 after the second, and 7-0 at the end of regulation. After defending home ice, the Avalanche headed to Tampa Bay, where the Lightning were 7-1 entering the Stanley Cup Final.

Despite the Avalanche scoring first in Game Three, the Lightning wouldn’t go down without a fight, scoring six of the next of the next seven goals and winning 6-2.

One of the main storylines over the first three games of the series was the absence of Nazem Kadri, the team’s third-leading scorer during the regular season (28g/59a), due to injury. Kadri, who had missed the team’s last four games dating back to Game Four of the Western Conference Final, was back for Game Four of the Stanley Cup Final.

And did he ever make a statement in his return.

Game Four's Key Plays

Erik Johnson Blocks Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s Shot at 7:49 of the First Period

• The Lightning were already up 1-0 after Anthony Cirelli’s goal 36 seconds into the game and had a quality chance to double their lead when Bellemare picked up the puck in the left slot, but Johnson sprawled to block the shot.

Darcy Kuemper’s Save On Nick Paul at 12:07 of the First Period

• Paul had a mini breakaway with the chance to double the Tampa Bay lead. However, thanks to a solid backcheck by MacKinnon and Josh Manson along with a save by Kuemper, the score remained 1-0.

Kuemper’s Save On Steven Stamkos at 15:23 of the First Period

• With the Lightning already ahead 1-0, Steven Stamkos took a pass from Ondrej Palat high in the offensive zone, skated to the slot, and fired a high-quality shot that was gloved by Darcy Kuemper to keep the Avalanche deficit at one.

MacKinnon’s Power-Play Goal at 5:17 of the Second Period

• While controlling the puck in the offensive zone, MacKinnon picked up the puck on the left-wing wall and skated by Nick Paul to the left circle before sending a cross-ice pass to Mikko Rantanen, who fired a right-circle shot off the pads of Andrei Vasilevskiy before the rebound went off of MacKinnon’s skate and in to tie the game.

Kuemper’s Save On Palat at 7:29 of the Second Period

• With the Lightning on the power play, Nikita Kucherov carried the puck just below the right-wing circle before sending a saucer pass to the low slot where Palat had a golden opportunity to score, but his deflection was denied by Kuemper.

Kuemper’s Save On Ross Colton at 19:59 of the Second Period

• In the final seconds of the middle frame, Tampa Bay had a chance to add to their 2-1 lead when Paul found Colton in front of the net, but Kuemper made the point-blank save as time expired.

Andrew Cogliano’s Goal at 2:53 of the Third Period

• After receiving a pass at the left point from Devon Toews, Bowen Byram moved the puck to Darren Helm at the right point. Helm then fired a shot from the top of the right circle off of Nico Sturm’s stick that was stopped by Vasilevskiy. The rebound went to Helm, who shot the puck off of Cogliano, who had established inside positioning on Jan Rutta, and in to tie the game.

Kuemper's Saves On Victor Hedman and Paul at 19:01 and 19:03 of the Third Period

• In the final minute of regulation with of a tie game, Hedman sent a left-point wrist shot on net through heavy traffic, but Kuemper was able to make the save and deny Paul's attempt on the rebound seconds later.

Kuemper’s Save On Paul at 1:32 of Overtime

• Paul skated down the left-wing side with the game on his stick and ripped a wrist shot from the top of the left circle that was denied by Kuemper.

Kadri’s Goal at 12:02 of Overtime

• Kuemper started this play with a cross-ice outlet pass to Artturi Lehkonen, who saw Kadri at the blueline, wide open in between Ryan McDonagh and Stamkos, and threaded a pass to Kadri, who blew by McDonagh and beat Mikhail Sergachev to the net before scoring a top-shelf goal to win the game 3-2.

Kadri’s goal gave the Avalanche a commanding 3-1 series lead, and the team would join hockey immortality two games later, winning the franchise’s third Stanley Cup.

Tune in to Altitude TV today at 7:30 p.m. MT for Avalanche Classics with Game Four of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.