Avalanche Outlast Lightning, 3-2, Snapping Tampa's Five Game Win Streak

Graphic Credit: Mike Smith | Thunderstruck Sports

By Derek Caldwell- Thunderstruck Sports

In a rematch of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals (without Lord Stanley's Cup at stake), the Tampa Bay Lightning fell by a score of 3-2, snapping their five game win streak, on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche.

The always dangerous Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring just 1:37 into the game when he found the puck behind the net and wrapped around in front to beat Scott Wedgewood for the night's opening goal.

Victor Olofsson opened the scoring for Colorado with 6:09 remaining in the opening period when he found a puck in the slot area after it deflected off of Andrei Vailevskiy's pad during the Avs first power play.

It was Olofsson again who found the back of the net with his second goal of the night and fifth on the season 4:08 into the middle frame. Colorado wasn't done yet as former Bolt, Ross Colton, buried his second goal of the season courtesy of a Sam Malinski pass that busted him open on a short breakaway making the score 3-1 Colorado.

To start the third period, Tampa got an early break and were rewarded with a power play in the first two minutes of the final frame, but were unable to do anything with it. As the power play concluded, Brayden Point took over after retrieving the puck in the defensive zone and carrying almost end to end and beating Wedgewood short side on a beautiful backhand shot that went top shelf over the Avalanche goaltender's shoulder to make the score 3-2.

Vasilevskiy was marvelous down the stretch. The Lightning netminder was able to stop 31 of 34 shots on the night. Vasy was flashing he leather, absorbing the puck consistently, and even had a couple patented sprawling ten bell saves admist chaos if front of the Lighning net.

The Lightning fall to 6-5-2 after tonight's loss. Tampa will stay out West as they face the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night.