The Colorado Avalanche couldn’t have looked any better than they did on Saturday night in Denver as they dismantled the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-0 to take a 2-0 series edge in the Stanley Cup Final. The two-time defending champs simply had no answer for the Avs on this particular night, and the result leaves all those watching wondering if Tampa can do anything to even slow the momentum of their onslaught. If anyone can do it after such a dominant display against them, it’s the Lightning, but even for them, it will be a massive task.
Valeri Nichuskin scored twice, including the opener on a power-play goal, while Cale Makar also found the net twice in the rout. Such was their domination that goal-tender Darcy Kuemper was only forced into making 16 saves in the blowout as well, underlining just how good of a showing this truly was. When all was said and done, the Avs had outshot their visitors 30-16, showing efficiency and ruthlessness when in front of goal and stinginess in defense to prevent giving up anything. As the series shifts to Tampa, the question is whether this will become a series or if Colorado will simply brush them aside and come back from Florida as champions.
