Yeah, Game 1 is a game all Tampa Bay players, coaches, staff, and fans can forget in a hurry. It was not pretty for the Bolts in those first 30 minutes. 3 goals allowed in the first period for the first time under Andrei Vasilevskiy’s goaltending reign, outplayed in almost all areas of the ice, lethargic, emotionally charged penalties, and just too many penalties. I could go on, but everyone knows the Bolts were bad early on.
The Lightning looked tired to start, which made them sloppy with the puck and slow tracking the speed of play. Perhaps the longer layoff than normal between the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals affected them, or it was the high altitude of Denver, or maybe even the sheer amount of hockey creeping up on the players caused their lethargic play.
Whatever it was, it was similar to how the Lightning started off the series against the New York Rangers.
Luckily for them, it only lasted a period and a half and not two whole games. After being down and out for a good portion of the game, the Lightning were able to power themselves back into the game with two quick goals from Sergachev and Palat. Where would Tampa Bay be without those two this postseason?
Those goals energized the Lightning to the point where they actually looked like they belonged in the Stanley Cup Finals as they started taking the game to the Avalanche physically.
A bad penalty late on in the 3rd from Pat Maroon caused the Lightning to enter OT on the backfoot, which ending up being the deciding factor in the game. Andre Burakovsky’s OT winner ended any chance of a Lightning comeback.
Bad game all around for the Lightning, right? Shouldn’t they just write this loss off and come again for Game 2? In my opinion, that would be a massive mistake.
Yes, the Lightning played awful in the beginning, but their two quick goals showed that they can slow down the Avalanche enough to strike back against them. If Pat Maroon didn’t shoot the puck over the glass with 1:30 to go in the 3rd, then we could easily be sitting down now reading about how the Lightning were able to pull off the unthinkable comeback to steal Game 1.
The game was far closer than Colorado’s early play should have resulted, which can only be seen as a massive benefit for the Lightning as this series goes on.
Also, this must be Nikita Kucherov’s, Steven Stamkos’, and Andrei Vasilevskiy’s worst games of the series. Despite Kucherov’s phenomenal assist to Nick Paul on Tampa’s first goal, he and the other two stars had poor games by their standards.
Those three will be much better as they learn the rhythm and intensity of this final. Moreover, this was Brayden Point’s first game back from injury since Round 1 versus Toronto, so not much was to be expected from him tonight. As the series goes on, i expect he will play a pivotal role if Tampa is to win it all again.
The Tampa Bay Lightning definitely started Game 1 sluggish and lethargic. Nevertheless, the Avalanche would be foolish to underestimate their opponent as Tampa Bay will only get better as they get more engaged in their purist for a third straight championship.
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