Andre Burakovsky scored at 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Wednesday to take a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
After a JT Compher shot was stopped in front of the net, Valeri Nichuskin slid the puck from circle to circle to Burakovsky, whose shot beat Andrei Vasilevskiy on the left side.
“Andre is playing well these days,” said teammate Mikko Rantanen. He fully deserves it. He completed a great game.”
Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen had the other goals for the Avalanche, seeking a first championship since 2001.
Nick Paul, Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev netted for the Lightning, the two-time defending champions.
Darcy Kuemper made 20 saves, while Vasilevskiy faced 38 shots.
The Lightning were shut out in three power plays.
“We can still take positives from the meeting, said Jon Cooper, the Lightning driver. You have to give credit to the Avalanche for getting the win. »
Game two is Saturday night, once again in Colorado.
Down 3-1 in the first intermission, the visitors put pressure on and created a stalemate with two goals in 48 seconds midway through the middle period.
Palat completed a nice rally with Kucherov and Sergachev threaded the needle with a long shot through traffic. The opportunity came from a mess by Logan O’Connor of the Avalanche.
Nichushkin hit the crossbar in the fourth minute of the game.
Captain Landeskog scored the game’s first goal at 7:47 in the first period, after a shot by Mikko Rantanen was partially blocked by Vasilevskiy.
Just 1:36 later, Nichushkin doubled the lead with a wrist shot following a chance pass from Victor Hedman. The streak stemmed from an aggressive forecheck by the Rockies club.
Paul cut the lead to 2-1 at 12:26 in the first period. He converted what became a bumpy semi-breakaway, after a long throw-in from Hedman.
The other accomplice was Brayden Point, who hadn’t played since May 14. He was injured in the final game in the first round, against Toronto.
Point has 28 goals and 30 assists in 66 regular season games.
Lehkonen scored on the power play at 17:31 of the first period, assisted by Landeskog and Rantanen.
The former Montreal Canadiens hit the mark with a wrist shot, as Tampa Bay tried to manage five against three.
Late in the second period, Compher was frustrated on the breakaway, after grabbing a brilliant pass from Burakovsky.
Pat Maroon gave the Lightning a cold sweat by sending a puck into the stands with 1:24 remaining in the third period, giving the home club a superiority.
Forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano were absent for the Avalanche. Coach Jared Bednar said their condition was being reassessed daily.