Avalanche destroy Lightning to go up two games to none
The Colorado Avalanche got a brace from both defenseman Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin and three assists from Mikko Rantanen in a surprising 7-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena on Saturday in Denver.
Game 1 hero Andre Burakovsky produced a goal and an assist but left with an undisclosed injury early in the second period.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 16 shots for his first shutout of the 2022 playoffs and his second in 30 career postseason games.
Josh Manson and Darren Helm picked up the other goals for the Avalanche.
Nichushkin opened the scoring with a power-play goal 2:54 into the first period and then notched his second early in the middle frame.
With Colorado already up by five, Makar scored a shorthanded goal and power-play goal in the third to complete the scoring.
Andrew Cogliano had two assists and posted a plus-three rating in his return to the lineup after having surgery on his hand.
Rookie Alex Newhook drew two assists and Devon Toews, Logan O’Connor and Nathan MacKinnon also collected helpers.
The Avalanche became the third team in NHL history to score three or more goals in the first period in each of the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final, joining the 1981 New York Islanders and 1936 Detroit Red Wings.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, who made 23 saves, gave up all seven goals, the most he’s allowed in his 100 playoff games. Corey Perry and Victor Hedman led the Lightning with three shots on goal apiece.
For more on Colroado’s avalanche of goals visit Mile High Hockey and Raw Charge.