Devon Toews, Nazem Kadri Score as Avalanche Take 2-0 Lead Over Lightning

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are making their chances count and keeping Tampa Bay at arm’s length. Colorado took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission, answering the Lightning’s push with timely goals from Fedor Svechkov and Artturi Lehkonen, while Jake Guentzel scored twice on the power play to keep Tampa within striking distance. The Lightning lead 27-17 in shots on goal, but the Avalanche have made the most of their opportunities.

Martin Necas found Devon Toews in front of the net just 68 seconds into the game, with Nathan MacKinnon picking up the assist to give Colorado an early lead.

Jaden Schwartz appeared to tie the game nearly five minutes in, but the goal was waved off after he kicked the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood. Colorado capitalized shortly after, scoring on the power play at 5:52 with Brandon Hagel in the box for tripping. Nazem Kadri buried a pass from T.J. Hughes in the low slot to double the lead.

Tampa had its chances, controlling possession at times and forcing Colorado’s defense to scramble around its own net. The Lightning also kept the Avalanche’s top line on the ice for extended shifts and tested Blackwood with a flurry of shots, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Despite being outshot 12-9, Colorado took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Fedor Svechkov made it 3-0 just 24 seconds into the period, knocking in his own rebound past Andrei Vasilevskiy. Svechkov appeared to be looking for T.J. Hughes at the backdoor, but after Vasilevskiy poke-checked the puck, the rebound fell right back to Svechkov, who finished the play.

Logan O’Connor, playing for the first time this season after recovering from a lower-body injury and dealing with the loss of his father, was called for a two-minute goaltender interference penalty. Vasilevskiy had left his crease to make a save near the backdoor, and O’Connor, closing in quickly, had little time to avoid the collision. Colorado killed off the penalty.

Tampa later earned a 4-on-3 power play after Taylor Makar tripped Conor Geekie. Following the whistle, Sam Malinski cross-checked Dominic James, sparking a brief scuffle along the boards. Both players received roughing minors. On the ensuing power play, Jake Guentzel cut into Colorado’s lead, punching in a rebound off a one-timer from Charle-Edouard D’Astous.

After Colorado killed off a tripping penalty to Lehkonen with 7:10 remaining, the winger got his own goal back. MacKinnon set him up in the low slot, and Lehkonen buried his ninth goal in 11 games to restore the Avalanche’s three-goal cushion at 4-1.

Unlike in their previous two games, the Avalanche were making their chances count while doing a better job defensively and breaking up Tampa’s plays.

Colorado was called for too many men on the ice with less than three minutes remaining, and Tampa struck again on the power play. Brayden Point fed Guentzel at the doorstep for his second goal of the night, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

The Avalanche challenged the goal, arguing that the puck had hit the upper netting before crossing the line. After an extensive review, officials determined the puck had hit the glass, not the netting, and the goal stood.

Through 40 minutes, Colorado held a 4-2 lead, but Tampa continued to pour on the pressure, building a 27-17 advantage in shots on goal.