For Andrei Vasilevsky, Game 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final became a landmark before it even started. Tampa’s Russian goaltender hit the 100-game mark in the playoffs – he became only the 20th goaltender in NHL history, who traded a hundred cup fights. However, a big career anniversary turned into an incredible nightmare for Vasilevsky, which was impossible to imagine before the start of the series finale.
With the exception of the first period, where three goals were conceded (including two optional), the Russian goalkeeper of the Lightning had a good first leg of the final. It was felt that during the game Vasilevsky added confidence and quality and in the second meeting with Colorado he would have a chance to develop his form.
Instead, the Russian, along with all of Tampa Bay, was completely crushed by the Avalanche. The Avalanches showed that their increased activity from Game 1 was just a demonstration of how well they can crush the defending champion. Today Colorado didn’t give the guests a single chance to recover, spending the entire first period in utterly dominant style, scoring three unanswered goals and then turning on their pressing machine in key bouts of the game.
Valery Nichushkin has become the flagship of the Avalanche game. The Denver-Chelyabinsk “press king” again did a tremendous job, organizing steady pressure on Tampa players on almost every shift, and also boldly jumping into the fight for the puck. It’s curious that in the entire time Nichushkin was on the ice in the “five-on-five” format, Colorado made 13 throw attempts, allowing none on his own base.
But above all, the Russian striker has again shown himself not only useful, but also effective. It took less than three minutes for Nichushkin to score his second goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. At the end of Colorado’s majority, he was left alone near Vasilevsky’s gates and, after receiving the puck on the starboard side of Andre Burakovsky, with an uncomfortable hand, opened the scoring in the game.
The start of the second period was again successful for Nichushkin. In the 25th minute, Mikko Rantanen intercepted the puck outside the Tampa goal and quickly delivered it into the crease, from where the Russian scored a brace with a soft touch. Vasilevsky for only the second time in these playoffs missed the puck in the “house” – besides, he could have missed a hat-trick from Nichushkin, but the striker managed to neutralize two attempts.
“He was created for this time of year,” Colorado head coach Jared Bednar said of Nichushkin’s game after the game.
As a result, Colorado destroyed Tampa with a score of 7:0, stopping one step short of repeating the Stanley Cup Finals record for goal difference (+8 in 1991), Nichushkin was recognized as the first star of the game, and in his Duel for the 100th Cup Vasilevsky for the first time in his playoff career missed seven goals.
It should be noted that another Russian Lightning star, forward Nikita Kucherov, who turned 29 on Friday, did not make a single throwing attempt in the entire game and, unlike the rest of the fielders in the team, did not perform a single power reception.
If Tampa still hopes to become a dynasty team, then Kucherov, Vasilevsky and other club stars should operate at a much higher level. In the meantime, Colorado has completely outplayed the Lightning, making a big bid not only for the first championship in 21 years, but also for the first 4-0 score in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1998.
NHL. Playoffs
Colorado Avalanche (Denver) – Tampa Bay Lightning (Tampa) – 7:0 (3:0, 2:0, 2:0)
Goals: Nichushkin, 2:54 (bol.), 24:51. Manson, 7:55 a.m. Burakowski, 1:52 p.m. Helm 36:26. Makar, 42:04 (men.), 49:49 (bol.)
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
