Lightning beat Avalanche 6-2 in Game 3 to cut series lead
The Tampa Bay Lightning bounced back from a Game 2 shutout to blow out the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. The 6-2 win for the Lightning on Monday was the team's first victory of the series and cut the Avalanche's lead to 2-1.
Colorado struck first in Game 3 with a goal that was overturned for offsides followed by a Gabriel Landeskog goal later in the first period that counted. The Avalanche lead lasted about five minutes before the Lightning evened up the score with a goal from Anthony Cirelli. Less than two minutes later, Ondrej Palat gave Tampa Bay its first lead of the series.
While the two teams traded goals early in the second period, which included Landeskog's second of the game, the Lightning took over the game with three straight goals in just over seven minutes later in the period.
The last of the trio of goals came from Corey Perry, who became the first player ever with goals in the Stanley Cup Final for four different teams.
Nikita Kucherov assisted on goals from Steven Stamkos and Pat Maroon in the second period and joined elite company in the process.
The Avalanche entered Monday on a seven-game winning streak after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final and winning the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who shut out the Lightning in a 7-0 win on Saturday, was replaced in the second period by Pavel Francouz after giving up his fifth goal of the game.
Game 4 in Tampa Bay is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
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