945 save percentage.The defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champ Lightning utilized four goals in the second period to pull away from a red hot Avalanche squad that had won seven-straight playoff games prior to Monday night.Īfter giving up seven goals in Game 2, Lightning goalie Andre Vasilevskiy bounced back with a remarkable night between the posts by recording 37 saves. In fact, in four elimination games since 2020, he's 4-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average and a. Vasilevskiy allowed just five goals in the final four games against the Rangers and four in the last two against the Maple Leafs.Īnd he's been stellar again since an embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 2 against Colorado, stopping 106 of 113 shots (.938 save percentage) in the three subsequent games. But he's added layers as the team has taken the long way to this year's final, including rallies from 3-2 down against Toronto and 2-0 down against the New York Rangers. He'd created the foundation for that claim across the Lightning's initial two Cup runs, including shutouts in five straight series-ending games. The 27-year-old picked his 63rd career playoff victory in his 98th start with a 35-save performance that once again solidified his status as the league's best money goalie. The Avalanche are still 6-of-15 (40 percent) on the power play in the series, while Tampa Bay improved to 2-of-18 (11.1 percent).Īny level of confidence maintained by Tampa Bay fans heading into Game 5 likely centered around one player: goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.Īnd now that we're heading to Game 6, it's not likely to change. Kucherov's goal was his eighth of the playoffs and sixth on the power play but also his first since the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers. Nikita Kucherov scored with assists from Steven Stamkos and Corey Perry during Tampa Bay's four-on-three power play at 8:10 of the second period, and the Lightning killed off a high-sticking penalty called on Ross Colton eight minutes later after also killing a tripping call against Stamkos in the first period. The Lightning scored one power-play goal in four chances and just as importantly kept Colorado off the scoresheet during its two opportunities with a man advantage. The Avalanche had outscored Tampa Bay 6-1 in power-play situations, but things weren't quite so one-sided Friday. Where the biggest problems came were on special teams.
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In spite of the 3-1 series deficit, the Lightning arrived at Game 5 having outscored Colorado 10-9 at even strength through four games. If they go on to win the Cup, it'd be the most elimination games won by a champion since the 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings won six, including a rally from being down 0-3 against the San Jose Sharks in the first round. The Lightning have been much less dominant this year, however, going down 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round before winning two straight and trailing the New York Rangers 0-2 in the conference final before rattling off four straight wins. Tampa Bay never faced anything beyond a 1-0 deficit while winning eight straight series in the 2019-21 playoffs, and it only played one elimination game-Game 7 against the New York Islanders in last year's Eastern Conference Final-in going 32-14 overall.
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The two-time defending champs had their championship grit, heart and determination on full display throughout Game 5, just as they have throughout this year's run in particular. There's a reason these Lightning have won the Stanley Cup. found me, I had an open net and I was lucky enough it went in." A great road game," he told ESPN's Emily Kaplan after the win. It was his 11th goal of the playoffs and his 48th in 137 postseason games. The Game 5 winner came with 6:22 left in the third period and broke a 2-2 tie when Palat snapped a centering pass from Victor Hedman through Colorado goalie Darcy Kuemper.
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Palat will be an unrestricted free agent July 13, and the Lightning are already right up against the salary cap for 2022-23, meaning this could be his final run with the team. The game-winning goal scored by the 31-year-old winger Friday night was the 11th of his playoff career with Tampa and set up what could be a particularly compelling swan song to his time with the two-time defending champions. In fact, no fewer than 207 players were selected before the Lightning called his name.īut not too many of them have had the impact he's had, particularly when it matters most. Ondrej Palat was a seventh-round draft pick in 2011.
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