After there was some conspiracy that the Lightning intentionally slowed down their home ice in Tampa, they proved they could beat the high-flying Avalanche in Colorado anyway. It was a back-and-forth affair on Friday night until Ondrej Palat netted yet another game-winner. That has the series heading back to Tampa, where the Lightning will be looking to force a Game 7 and the Avs will have another chance to win the cup.
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After proving they can take down the star-studded Avalanche on the road, the Lightning should have all the momentum they could have hoped for heading into Game 6. The series shifts back to Tampa, which proved to be a great benefit the last time it did so. The Lightning won Game 3 in dominant fashion with a final score of 6-2. That victory felt even more impressive given the embarrassing 7-0 loss in Game 2. While those 2 scores appear so lopsided, the last 2 games have been separated by just a single goal — so the money line is the play.
The Lightning have also proven to have their role players step up in a big way at home. Ondrej Palat has effectively worked his way to a primary piece of their success. He has filled in for Brayden Point better than anyone could have imagined. His game-winner on Friday night was his 11th goal this postseason, and he is a perfect complement to all-stars Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. Along with Victor Hedman, that trio has proven to have the leadership to continuously bring this franchise back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Hedman showed off his defensive skills in front of all-world goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy in that Game 3 by helping keep Nathan MacKinnon without a point. Vasilevskiy is at his best at home and when the pressure is greatest. With a Game 7 on the line, he should perform once again to help lead the Lightning to this win.
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It doesn’t take long to see the way the totals have been trending as this series has gone on. After the first 3 games ended with at least 7 total goals, the last 2 games have each finished with just 5 goals. It may seem strange given the high-powered Avalanche, but the playoffs is where goaltenders make all the difference. That is especially true in the finals, and why the Lightning have been so successful during this dynasty. Vasilevskiy is the best in the world and is the primary reason Tampa Bay is still alive in this series, as well. He is at his best at home and in elimination games, both of which are the case for tonight’s game. After seeing 3-2 final scores the last 2 games and so much on the line tonight, expect more of the same from some tense, uptight skaters.
After both Kucherov and Palat scored a goal in the Lightning’s Game 5 win, Sunday night sets up perfectly for Stamkos to find the back of the net. He was able to record an assist, but none of his shots got by Darcy Kuemper. However, he still had 3 shots on goal and had 5 in Tampa’s first home game of the series. Stamkos also scored a goal in that game. Without Point, there is even more responsibility on the future Hall of Famer to help Tampa Bay force a Game 7. He and the rest of the Lightning were also able to force Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar to pull Kuemper back in Game 3. He will likely be on a short leash again in Game 6 and Stamkos should play a part if he does get pulled again.
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