The Tampa Bay Lightning struck first and held on late, extending the Stanley Cup Final with a Game 5 win, 3-2, over the Colorado Avalanche.
Lightning defenceman Jan Rutta opened the scoring, and forward Nikita Kucherov reclaimed the lead after Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin tied it to give Tampa Bay a 2-1 edge after the second, but Colorado came back in the third with Cale Makar’s eighth goal of the playoffs.
On this night, though, the Lightning would not fade quietly. A late third-period goal from Ondrej Palat re-established the lead. Then, with time running out, the Avalanche were assessed a too many men on the ice penalty — just days after fevered debate over whether or not their overtime winner in Game 4 should have counted due the same infraction.
The victory prolongs a stretch of dynastic hockey from the Lightning, who have not lost a playoff series since 2019, when they were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in Round 1 after winning the Presidents’ Trophy. No team has completed a three-peat in the NHL since the 1980s Islanders.
Game 6 returns to Tampa Bay and is slated for Sunday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.
More to come.
