The Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of achieving their immense potential after a storybook ending to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
After missing the first three games of the series in recovery from a surgically-repaired thumb, Nazem Kadri scored in overtime on a partial breakaway to vault the Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, moving Colorado within one win of hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Kadri’s magnificent and unlikely winner spoiled a brilliant performance from Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, who had to that point thwarted an inspired effort from the Avalanche with 35 saves in the game, including 10 in overtime.
It was the only clean goal scored on Vasilevskiy on a night where the Avalanche had to find other means. The Avalanche twice tied the game before Kadri provided his team with its first and only lead, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring his first goal of the series on a fortunate deflection and Nico Sturm using a lucky bounce, too, to register his first of the playoffs.
Vasilevskiy’s counterpart, Darcy Kuemper, was also busy, making 37 saves. His only blemishes came on goals from Anthony Cirelli and Victor Hedman.
Kuemper also contributed offensively, moving the puck up the ice to earn a second assist on Kadri’s winner.
Colorado’s first chance to clinch the Stanley Cup comes Friday night in Denver.
More to come.
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