Andrey SenchenkoSport correspondentAll materialsEmail authorColorado Avalanche players gnawed a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime of the fourth match of the Stanley Cup final. “Lightning” was not saved even by goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevsky, who repelled 35 shots. “Avalanches” in the next match can issue a championship. Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final was perhaps the most anticipated of the series. There was a lot of talk around him, including about the future of the teams — either Tampa pulls themselves together and returns to the game, or Colorado brings the score to 3-0 and formally closes the question of the championship. This worried the hockey players themselves. So, the captain of the “Lightning” Steven Stamkos said the day before that the “Avelanche” is the fastest team against which the “lightning” played. «You can't give them a freebie. You need to neutralize their speed,» said the leader of the reigning champions.National Hockey League (NHL)June 23, 2022 • Start at 03:00End at OT
Tampa BayUSA2 : 3
ColoradoUSAS this task, “Tampa” coped, and forcing hockey players, “Colorado” to make mistakes literally at every turn, outplayed a formidable opponent. The intrigue in the confrontation was preserved, but it was not clear how the second match at the Amalie Arena would turn out. Moreover, Nazem Kadri, who recovered from an injury, returned to the “Evs” squad. As a result, the fourth meeting of the series — of course, the key one in the final — became not only unpredictable in terms of the result, but also confusing in terms of the game. For example, throughout almost the entire match, Avalanches looked more powerful and faster than Lightning and visually owned , and also created more danger at the gates of others than the opponent. However, statistics that do not always reflect the course of the meeting, in some period of time remained behind the “Tampa”. So, in the first period, the hosts moved the “Colorado” with a large margin – 17:4. Somewhat contradictory, but the Lightning's first goal even got out of the logic of the game itself: already in the first minute, the hosts organized a chaotic and fast attack, which was completed by Anthony Cirelli with an accurate rebound shot after Eric Cernak's shot.“Evs” is, regularly creating danger at the gates of Andrei Vasilevsky, could not achieve the most important thing – to send the puck into the net of these very gates. Moreover, the «avalanches» each time had to act in the role of catching up. If Cirelli's goal can be attributed to a loss of concentration in the first seconds of the match, Victor Hedman's goal slalom was not readable at all.However, fate twice rewarded the guests for their efforts, and only chance allowed Jared Bednar's team to achieve their goal. That the first and the second goal of the Avalanche is a complete curiosity. Here is the puck after the throw of Mikko Rantanen, rebounding from Nathan McKinnon's skate, hit Vasilevsky's skate and bounced into the goal.But Niko Sturm picked up the puck after an accidental rebound and no less accidentally hit Andrew Colliano, from whom the projectile hit the net.It is unreasonable to make claims to Vasilevsky in both cases, although both goals do not become less offensive for Andrey. On the other hand, if not for the confident game of the Russian goalkeeper, who made a lot of saves (35) and almost single-handedly tried to bring his team to victory in overtime, then the Avalanche would have ended the match in their favor much earlier. What is worth only the moment created by Valery Nichushkin. The Russian's solo pass and a cross to the far post should have ended with a goal by Bowen Byram, but… Let's also note the game of Mikhail Sergachev, who, without pity for himself, regularly went under the throws. On account of his 7 blokshotov! However, all these efforts were in vain for “Tampa”. Ironically, Kadri, who returned to the ice, finished off the champions with another curious goal. The Lebanese-Canadian managed to send the puck under the crossbar in such a way that everyone missed it for a moment.It took some time to realize the moment of truth, after which the Colorado hockey players poured onto the ice, celebrating a huge victory. A victory that brought the Avalanche closer to the long-awaited championship. The Stanley Cup may move to Denver very soon.
