5
0
Kuch is better.
COL-3
TB-6
Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 30 shots for the victory.
First Period
15:08 COL Byram (7), (Rantanen, MacKinnon)
17:18 TB Point (26), (unassisted)
18:25 TB Kucherov (35), (Hagel)
Second Period
15:03 COL Byram (8), (Colton, Lehkonen)
Third Period
3:40 COL Lehkonen (6), (MacKinnon, Drouin)(PP)
4:00 TB Stamkos (23), (Kucherov, Hedman)
8:13 TB Kucherov (36), (Point, Stamkos)
19:28 TB Cirelli (12), (Hagel, Cernak)(EN)
19:34 TB Perbix (2), (Lilleberg, Eyssimont)(EN)
Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point were the game’s three stars. In a matchup between arguably the league’s two best players (Kucherov and MacKinnon) and its two most deadly lines, the Lightning clearly bested the Avs. Will it matter to the media voters? Probably not. I fully expect Kucherov to get screwed out of the MVP at the end of this year. But save the tape from tonight if you want to see what’s really what.
Clownish officiating to make up a reason to absolve MacKinnon of a double high sticking minor on review and then miss a clear hold on Byram’s opening goal. With competent officiating, the Lightning probably get out of the opening frame up three goals, IMO.
Tampa Bay notches back to back wins against Boston and Colorado and the debacles in New York following Sergachev’s injury are pushed well back in the rear view mirror. A performance like tonight surely make Julien BriseBois a more confident buyer looking for a LHD and other help, I should think.
Alex Barre-Boulet was -1 with 1 shot in 5:28. Not sure he got off the bench after the First Period, to be honest.
Mitchell Chaffee was -1 with 1 hit and 1 blocked shot in 7:15. Had a couple of decent shifts hounding the puck I thought after being pretty invisible in previous games.
Emil Lilleberg had a helper, 1 shot, 2 hits, and 1 blocked shot in 14:01. The assist on Perbix’s empty netter might’ve been on his only shift of the final frame. He certainly was also stapled to the bench in a close game.
Box score and extended statistics from NHL.com.
