In a game that the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to win, the team's offense showed up in a big way. The Lightning scored four times in the second period to defeat the Colorado Avalanche, 6-2, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Five different players registered two-point performances to pace a Lightning offense that was without forward Brayden Point, who was out of the lineup for Game 3. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy also helped in a big way, bouncing back with 34 saves after yielding seven goals in a 7-0 Game 2 loss.
The Lightning held a 2-1 lead entering the second period and stayed aggressive on the offensive end. After getting banged up late in the opening period, Tampa winger Nicholas Paul established himself on an Avalanche turnover in their own zone. Ross Colton ended up finding a wide open Paul afterwards for the easy goal to give the Lightning a 3-1 lead just 1:26 into the frame.
One of the few bright spots for the Avalanche in Game 3 proved to be winger Gabriel Landeskog. Just over three minutes after Paul scored, Landeskog netted his second power-play goal of the evening. He displayed tremendous patience as he received the puck from defenseman Cale Makar and walked right in to score his 10th goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Following Landeskog's tally, though, the floodgates opened for the Lightning.
Over a six-minute stretch in the second period, Tampa forwards Steven Stamkos, Pat Maroon and Corey Perry scored goals to put the contest out of reach. Maroon scored the fifth goal of the night just after coming out of the penalty box. Following the Maroon goal, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar pulled goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who stopped just 17 of the 22 shots that he faced in Game 3.
The Lightning will look to tie the series in Game 4, which is scheduled for Wednesday in Tampa.
