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The Tampa Bay Lightning woke up in Game 3.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning doused the Colorado Avalanche with four goals in the second period on their way to getting their first win in the series, 6-2.
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Tampa Bay came up big in the second period to bounce back from a 7-0 shutout in Game 2 and make it a series against Colorado.
It looked like it was going to be more of the same from the Avalanche early in the game. Gabriel Landeskog scored the first goal of the game on a power play opportunity on assists from Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. It was Landeskog’s 10th goal of the postseason.
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) celebrates goal after scoring in the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
It would have put Colorado up 2-0 but an early goal by the Avalanche was waved off because of an offside call.
Tampa Bay would score their first goal since Game 1 less than 5 minutes after the Landeskog goal thanks to Anthony Cirelli. The Lightning got the lead woth an Ondrej Palat score more than a minute later.
The second period would be where the Lightning really broke the game open.
Tampa Bay scored four goals from four different players in the period and eventually chased Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper out of the net. Nick Paul, Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Corey Perry. Pavel Francouz came in and only allowed one goal to the Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) celebrates with Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pat Maroon (14) after scoring during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Kuemper had 17 saves but allowed five goals. Francouz had nine saves.
It was Stamkos’ 10th goal of the season. Landeskog would get one past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy in between Paul and Stamkos’ scores.
Vasilevskiy had 37 saves in the win.
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Corey Perry (10) celebrates a goal during the second period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, June 20, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay bounced back nicely to cut the deficit in the series to 2-1. Colorado hadn’t lost a playoff game since May 25 – an overtime defeat by the St. Louis Blues.
The Lightning will look to tie the series up at 2 apiece with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night. The Lightning were also down 2-0 to the New York Rangers before coming back to win the Eastern Conference final.
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Game 4 will take place in Tampa, Florida, at 8 p.m. ET.