Electric response: Lightning clobber Avalanche in Game 3

Should we be surprised that the Tampa bay Lightning responded to a tough start to the 2022 Stanley Cup Final by beating the Colorado Avalanche handily in Game 3?

The answer might be “Yes and No.”

Either way, the Lightning won Game 3 by a resounding 6-2 score, reducing the Avalanche’s series lead to 2-1.

Clearly, the Lightning aim for a Stanley Cup three-peat for a reason. This championship team keeps finding ways to respond to tough situations. They were down 2-0 and looking shaky as recently as the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. They didn’t flinch.

Yet, with the way the Avalanche thumped the Lightning in Game 2, some wondered if the Cup Final might be short and not-so-sweet for Tampa Bay. Instead, it seems like we may get the battle many hoped for.

Coming into Game 3, I couldn’t help but wonder: maybe the Lightning need to score the first goal to really slow down the Avalanche?

Hmm, nope.

Throughout the first 20 minutes, things were more even. After creating basically nothing in Game 2, the Lightning looked much better than the Avalanche (then Tampa Bay ran away with Game 3). For instance: despite trailing for basically all of Game 2, the Bolts only managed 16 shots on goal. During the first period of Game 3, the Avalanche fired more shots on goal (14), but the Lightning were close (12).

Of course, the most important scoreboard consideration went Tampa Bay’s way.

First, it seemed like Valeri Nichushkin scored yet another goal. Instead, it was nullified by an offside goal review.

A no-goal for Nichushkin. Thoughts?