Game three of the Stanley Cup Finals
Game three between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning went down last night in Tampa Bay. The Lightning needed a huge win to avoid being swept in the series and being at home definitely gave them that advantage. This was their chance to get back into the series and to avoid going down 3-0 in the series.
The Avalanche start the scoring in the first period scored by Gabriel Landeskog at 8:19 to put them up 1-0. Both teams play hard right when the lightning score 2 goals in one minute and thirty seconds. The tying goal scored by Anthony Cirelli and then by Ondrej Palat at 14:54 to put the lightning up 2-1 at the end of first period. Shots on goal was 14-12 in favor of the Avalanche despise the being down 2-1.
The second period is where a lot more of the action took place. Nicholas Paul expands on the Lightning lead to start the scoring giving them a 3-1 lead over the Avalanche during the first minute of the period. The Avalanche needed one quickly to get back into the game so Landeskog scores for the Avalanche again three minutes later to have them down 3-2. The Lightning were not satisfied with a one goal lead nearly approaching the halfway point of the period. The captain of the Lightning Steven Stamkos puts them back up by 2 three minutes after the Avalanche came within one. At the mid way point of the second period, Pat Maroon puts the Lightning up by 3 giving them the largest lead of the game, but a 3 goal lead in hockey isn’t all that safe especially with the Avalanche. They’re a great team, both teams are great considering they’re both in the Finals. It was all down hill for the Avalanche though, being down by three, the Lightning strike again scored by Corey Perry three minutes later at 14:58. At this point it was 6-2 at the end of the second period. Shots on goal were 13 for the Avalanche and 15 for the Lightning.
No goals were scored in the third period giving the game a final score of 6-2 for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning had 6 more shots on goal in the third and the Avalanche had 12 shots on goal, but the Lightning had the game in the bag at this point. They won the game in a game where they very much needed to win that put them right back in the series putting them down 2-1. Total shots on goal were 39 for the Avalanche and 33 for the Lightning, showing how much more aggressive the Avalanche were. Game four will be tomorrow night at 8 pm.
