Jun 20, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) looks on during warm ups before game three of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche at Amalie Arena. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Lightning beat Avalanche 6-2 in Game 3 to cut series lead

By Adam Stites | Last updated 6/20/22

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.

ONDREJ PALAT, EVERYBODY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/2tjG8K5HRX
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 21, 2022

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.

Scorey Perry finds twine for the @TBLightning's 6️⃣th of the game! #StanleyCup

: ABC, @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/Af008wX0Tt
: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/EZFkGNUP1d pic.twitter.com/IEnlQzgcTT
— NHL (@NHL) June 21, 2022

Nikita Kucherov assisted on goals from Steven Stamkos and Pat Maroon in the second period and joined elite company in the process.

Nikita Kucherov becomes the 4th player in NHL history with 25+ points in 3 straight postseasons#GoBolts pic.twitter.com/R179A4OBXi
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) June 21, 2022

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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