Starring Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the two-time full-time defending champion defeated the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 on Monday night in the 3rd game of the Stanley Cup final. The victory, two nights after suffering the most one-sided defeat in the history of the team playoffs, reduced the deficit of the Tampa Bay series to 2-1 and gave hope to the team trying to become the first franchise in almost 40 years to win. three consecutive NHL titles. “There is a reason we are here and there is a reason we won tonight. “There is a reason why this has been going on for the last two years,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “The kids who have to guide did that, and then everyone gets in line,” Cooper added. “You have been following the development of Stammer and Hedman over the years and it is probably no coincidence that our victory followed.” Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Audrey Palat each had one goal and one assist and the Lightning scored four times in the second period to bounce back from a humiliating 7-0 defeat in the second game of the best game of the seven. Anthony Cirelli, Nicholas Paul and Corey Perry also scored to help Tampa Bay return after playing badly while losing their first two games on the road. Kucherov and Hedman had two assists and Vasilevsky stopped 37 shots. “I do not know why we started the series the way we did. “But no matter how you cut it, it is 2-1 now”, said Stamkos. “A big part of him, too, is our goalkeeper,” Cooper added. “To go through what he went through two nights ago and then play like he did tonight… not only that, but to score first and then the team to respond and support him, I guess that’s how you get to the places we’ve been to. » Stamkos, Paul, Maroon and Perry scored in the second period, when the Lightning chased Colorado goalkeeper Darcy Kumber as he was leaving. Gabriel Landeskog had two goals and Mikko Rantanen and Cale Maker had two assists for Avalanche. Kuemper conceded five goals in 22 shots before being replaced by Pavel Francouz, who finished with nine saves. Race 4 is Wednesday night at the Amalie Arena, where Lightning won eight consecutive playoffs with a franchise record and Colorado lost on the road for the first time this post-season. “Right now I feel we are still in the driver’s seat with 2-1,” said Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. “We really have to play in the 4th game, reorganize, get better and stay balanced.”
