Krenn: Three Things we learned from storming back in Game 3

We've got ourselves a series.
The Tampa Bay Lightning earned their first win of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final on Monday night with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche that got them within one game of tying the series.

The Bolts needed to have a better start in Game 3 and although the Avs got the first goal of the contest, Tampa Bay had much more jump in their game compared to the first two contests of the series.
The Lightning were hard on pucks, quicker and more crisp in the defensive zone, and got more shots on goal.
There were contributions from up and down the lineup, with a member of all four lines scoring a goal for the Bolts.
It was Anthony Cirelli who scored the Lightning's first goal of the game, followed by Ondrej Palat, Nick Paul, Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon, and Corey Perry.
A lot of analysts had labeled Tampa Bay as a team that had no chance of winning a game following the embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 2.
But there was no panic shown from the Lightning, who got back to home ice and won a franchise-record eighth consecutive playoff game at AMALIE Arena. Now, they'll have to roll that performance into Game 4, but first, here's three things we learned on Monday night.

1. DEPTH ON DISPLAY
The Lightning's depth was on full display on Monday night with all four lines contributing with a goal on the scoresheet.
To win a Stanley Cup, you need depth scoring and the Bolts got it in Game 3.
"Yeah, that's huge," said Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian. "I mean, you don't go this deep without depth, obviously, and it's something that we have.
"It seems like guys are stepping up at key moments of the game and I don't think you rely on one or two guys to provide offense for you in the regular season, let alone in the playoffs, so team depth is huge."
With Brayden Point out for Game 3, Perry moved up to the third line and delivered in a big way, scoring his sixth goal of the playoffs and first of the Stanley Cup Final.
Perry became the first player in NHL history to score a goal in the Final with four different teams. Additionally, he became the first player to ever score a goal in three consecutive Finals with three separate teams.
'The Worm' has been a huge contributor for Tampa Bay this postseason, both on and off the ice. There's been plenty of talk about his speech that was given during the Toronto series to rally the team.
With Point out, not only did Perry move up a line at five-on-five, but he also stepped in on the first power play unit, which is where he scored his goal on Monday. In the locker room and on the ice, Perry has brought nothing but positives to this Lightning team.
"He's had such a great career," said Bolts forward Alex Killorn. "To be as close as he's been in the past three years and not get the ultimate goal is something that, as a team, we obviously want to win, but for him, it's important for us to win in that sense as well.
"He brings a lot leadership-wise. A guy who's seen a lot in this league, done a lot in this league. Definitely a voice in the locker room.
"He's been huge for us, whether it's on the power play or just in any game situations. He can be on the fourth line. He can be on the second line. He can go throughout the lineup.
"He's a huge add for us, not just on the ice, but off the ice as well."
Everyone came to play for Tampa Bay in Game 3. Take a guy like Nick Paul, who left the game with an injury and couldn't put any weight on his right leg. Then, he came back and scored the eventual game-winning goal on his first shift.
"In true hockey player fashion, he sucks it up and comes out and scores the eventual game-winner," said Stamkos. "You can see how valuable he is to our team."
You can go up and down the lineup and find great performances. Look at Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who played just 9:50, but won eight of his 10 faceoffs, blocked two shots, recorded one takeaway, and threw two hits.
Riley Nash was thrust into the lineup and did a fantastic job filling in on the fourth line, helping maintain offensive zone time and playing mistake-free hockey.
Maroon had a goal and an assist. Bogosian and Ross Colton each had one helper.
After the game, Stamkos said, "Everyone, including myself, needed to play better.
"We believe in this group. It certainly wasn't the start we wanted to the series, but we get a chance to take a breath and come home.
"The execution was just much better tonight. When we give ourselves a chance, we can see what happens with the result."
Everyone pitched in and played a role in the win. If Tampa Bay can continue to get contributions up and down the lineup, watch out.

2. PLAYOFF PALLY
Ondrej Palat just continues to come up in the clutch for the Lightning.
Palat's engine never stops. He's always going at full speed and will do whatever it takes to win. His effort and drive throughout this postseason has been second to none.
After Cirelli tied the game at one, Palat and Stamkos completed a beautiful give-and-go just 1:51 later to give the Bolts the 2-1 lead. It was Palat's 10th goal of the playoffs, which is tied with Stamkos for the team lead.
"He's not scared to step up in big moments and he's shown that time and time again," said Paul when asked about Palat. "When you get a team when you got a lot of people ready to stand up and take the opportunity, it's huge.
"Palat's just the guy that's such a good guy off the ice. Every day at practice, he works super hard and does everything right. When game time comes and we need a goal, he's been the guy to deliver.
"Big moments, he comes to play. It's huge for our team."
Palat has recorded at least one point in all nine home games for Tampa Bay this postseason. His fingerprints are all over the Lightning franchise record book for postseason games. He ranks third all-time in playoff points (92), second in goals (47), fourth in assists (45), second in plus/minus (+33), and, maybe most importantly, first in game-winning goals (11).
This has all been done by a guy who was drafted in the final five picks of the NHL Draft. Throughout his career, Palat has quietly worked to get better and better, all while consistently performing in all facets of the game. He's had one coach through his entire professional career, Jon Cooper. If you want to know more about Palat, Cooper's answer from Tuesday morning will tell you a lot about the kind of player and person the former seventh-round pick is.
"The kid got passed over in the draft and then had to go into the second draft and got taken third to last," Cooper explained. "That alone, just to get to the NHL, just put that in perspective for a second, what he went through.
"I always say big players have to play themselves off teams and smaller players have to play themselves on teams. First rounders usually get every chance in the world to make teams. Seventh rounders, not so much, so you're constantly having to prove yourself. Just to make it alone probably tells you a lot about him as a person and his drive.
"Yes, you have to have a skill set, but there's probably a reason you were passed over in the draft and you were probably lacking in some area or whatever scout didn't think you were quite at the level that some of the other guys are, but you continue to find a way.
"To me, passion, drive, all those adjectives, you just throw into this kid about how he is as a person and how he plays. He never quits and he's developed a skill set. He worked at it. When you get to this league, you can't stop working. That's when the work just begins.
"Palat, he's a special kid and a special player. The weird thing is, I think I've been his only pro coach, 10 or 11 years, whatever it is, and we're a better team and I'm a better coach for it, for being around that kind of player."
Only one active player has recorded more playoff years with 10-plus goals and that's Evgeni Malkin with three. Palat has now done it twice after scoring 11 in 2020.
Only three players in NHL history have recorded a home-game playoff point streak longer than Palat's current streak of nine games.
He's been a key piece in the Bolts' core for years. It's his drive, work ethic, and touch of skill that continue to make Palat such a valuable player.
"He always wants to out-battle you," said Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. "He never gives up and that's tough sometimes because you battle him, you think you get the puck, and he's always there.
"He never goes away. He's like a pest out there. That's the way he's playing and he's always played that way. That's why he's kind of annoying to play against."
Ryan McDonagh may have said it best when he was asked about Palat earlier this month.
"There's other ways to capitalize and find a way to get on the scoresheet," said McDonagh. "He exemplifies it, doing it with skill at times, but more importantly and more consistently doing it with his will and determination."
There aren't many players, if any, that can out-will Ondrej Palat.

3. STAMMER TIME
Steven Stamkos has had one hell of a postseason.
He's scored goals.
He's blocked shots.
He's dropped the gloves.
He's led his team.
Stamkos scored his 10th goal of the postseason in Game 3, tied with Palat for the team lead, and filled up the stat sheet in some other categories as well.
Tampa Bay's captain went 23-8 in the faceoff circle for a 74% win-rate.
He had one goal and one assist, a plus-three rating, five shots, two hits, and two blocked shots.
"I think Stammer's been bringing it every single game," said Maroon. "He's been our horse. He's been blocking shots. He's been hitting. He's been scoring big-time goals at the right time.
"He's been awesome for us. That's just another game for Stammer."
Cooper has been with Stamkos for a long time. He's watched an all-time great blossom from a young goal scorer into a complete player and a leader. Cooper was asked about his relationship with Stamkos from the beginning to now on Tuesday morning and gave another one of his classic, eloquent answers.
"I always describe this like being with a family member and I've been able to watch him grow," Cooper explained. "He had a few different coaches in his short tenure before I got here. It was different ownership, different general managers, different coaches, and I think that can be difficult at times.
"When Jeff bought the team and he added a bunch of stability to the team, I think that stabilized Stammer as well. He was a young sniper that was just filling the net, scoring 60. He had the Marty St. Louis. He had all these guiding lights in front of him where he didn't have to be that guy.
"Then, there was the changeover and all of a sudden he's thrust into a position. I remember Steve Yzerman telling me, he became captain, it was 18 or whatever. He told me, he said, 'They put the C on me too early. It's hard for young guys to wear that burden at such a young age.'
"Steve, being the great that he was and still is, he grew into that, but he said it was hard on him. For Stammer, he was a little bit older, but that's a big position to be thrust in.
"For me, all of a sudden, you're going from the guy that you're not dealing with as much to now he's the guy that you're leaning on and you're just guiding each other. Were there ups and downs? No question.
"Stammer, to watch him grow from the single guy, sniper to family man, husband, father, it's just awesome. That's the joy of this sport, being able to have relationships and to watch Stammer go.
"Honestly, I think we speak less now, but know each other better just because he knows what I'm thinking. I know what he's thinking. One look at him, 'Yep. What are we doing here? This.' You almost can finish each other's sentences and thoughts because of how long we've been together.
"Like any relationship, it takes time to foster, but boy, he's become a hell of a leader. I'll tell you that. He was a hell of a hockey player and less of a leader. Now you can almost say he's a hell of a leader and not less of a hockey player. He's just, I guess, an older hockey player.
"One hundred points. It's been fun to watch and great to be able to coach him as long as I have."
There's been adversity on so many different levels for Stamkos, from physical to personal. Lightning fans have been lucky enough to watch him grow and mature during his time with the franchise. Don't forget, Stamkos had the chance to walk away from Tampa as a free agent and chose to stay with the Bolts. Now, he's an all-time great who will have his number hanging from the rafters alongside his former teammates, Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, when it's all said and done.
"I've known Stammer for a long time, dating back to when we played against each other in the OHL," said Bogosian. "I just think just how his personality gets along with everyone in the room - when he speaks, everyone listens.
"Seeing over the last few years, he's gone through so many injuries and gone through personal adversity that usually goes one of two ways and he chose to fight through that.
"Just how he plays. When you have your captain finishing checks, blocking shots, backchecking, and obviously super gifted offensively - that's rare.
"Whether he's a captain or not, the caliber of player that he is and for him to check all those boxes is super impressive. It's very rare."
Stamkos has continued to elevate his game and get better in all aspects. There aren't a lot of 100-point scorers that will lay down in front of slap shots and play the physical game that he has. Add up all of his on-ice accolades with his off-ice qualities and you have one of the best leaders in Tampa Bay sports history.
Following the 7-0 loss in Game 2, it was Stamkos who came out and answered all the questions from the media. He undoubtedly had a big hand in the Lightning's rebound performance in Game 3.
"You win and lose as a team," said Stamkos after Game 2. "It takes a great team to get to the position that we're at. It takes a great team to realize the mistakes that we've made.
"I have full confidence in the group that when we get back to home ice, we'll have a much better effort."
Stamkos was right. Now, we have to wait and see what kind of performance his team produces in Game 4.