Early on, the Lightning used their speed and skill to build a lead. Later, they used grit and determination to get this game across the finish line.
The Avalanche have had defensive problems so far this season (they entered the game ranked 31st in goals allowed per game), and the Lightning created numerous scoring chances in the first period. The Avs wanted the Nathan MacKinnon line matched against the Brayden Point line. Twice in the opening minutes of the game, however, the Lightning managed to get Point’s line out on the ice against Parker Kelly’s line. On each, Nick Paul won a neutral zone faceoff, allowing the Lightning to possess the puck. Paul, Mikey Eyssimont, and Mithcell Chaffee quickly went to the bench, and the Point line jumped over the boards. On the first occasion, Point rushed the puck into the Colorado end, skated behind the net, and came around the other side. He fed Nikita Kucherov in the high slot, and Kucherov wired a one-timer past Kaapo Kahkonen at 1:01. Just over two minutes later, the same sequence occurred. Paul won a draw from Kelly, and the Lightning changed on the fly. Kucherov brought the puck down the right wing and skated behind the net. The Avs thought he would come around to the other side, just as Point did. Instead, Kucherov directed the puck back to the short side post, where Jake Guentzel snapped it into an open side of the net at 3:26. Soon after, Conor Geekie, Brandon Hagel, and Anthony Cirelli teamed up on a three-on-one. Geekie finished a cross-ice pass from Cirelli at 5:32. The Lightning had a 3-0 lead before the first TV timeout of the game.
Colorado’s power play entered this game ranked third in the NHL, so the Lightning wanted to limit the number of penalties they took. They committed one first-period penalty, and the Avs converted. Ivan Ivan tipped in Cale Makar’s point shot at 14:56. It was 3-1 after 20 minutes.
The Avs generated several dangerous five-on-five looks off the rush in the second period, but Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped them all. He also made six saves during three separate Colorado power plays in the frame. Two of those kills came virtually back-to-back. On those kills, Cirelli, Hagel, Victor Hedman, and J.J. Moser were stuck on the ice for essentially the entire four minutes. It was a taxing sequence, but the Lightning didn’t allow a goal. There was also the earlier successful penalty kill in the period. On the shift after that penalty ended, the Lightning added to their lead. Point’s shot from the slot hit the post, but Guentzel batted in the rebound at 6:28.
Soon after the back-to-back kills, the Lightning won a defensive zone faceoff. Chris Wagner boarded Ryan McDonagh, who had fed the puck around the boards to Erik Cernak. As Cernak made a play on the puck, Matt Stienberg hit him in the head. The officials assessed a major penalty to Stienberg. Both McDonagh and Cernak left the ice. Fortunately, McDonagh was able to return for the third period. Cernak did not.
During the bulk of the final frame, the Avs pushed. They enjoyed several long offensive-zone shifts. One of those culminated in a Makar goal at 10:57. But Vasilevskiy stopped the other 12 shots he faced in the third period. Cirelli’s empty-netter at 18:40 sealed the win.
It was a hard-fought victory that was well-deserved. The Lightning continue the trip on Friday against Minnesota.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
- Andrei Vasilevskiy — Lightning. 33 saves.
- Anthony Cirelli — Lightning. Goal and assist.
- Nikita Kucherov — Lightning. Goal and two assists.
