TAMPA, Fla. — Once the third period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final arrived here Wednesday night, special teams went away. As expected, the referees let the little things go.
This game was going to be decided at even strength, and it was with Nazem Kadri’s overtime heroics giving the Avalanche a 3-2 victory and 3-1 series lead against Tampa Bay.
But in the 11-plus periods leading up to the third period and overtime in Game 4, the Avalanche has dominated special teams in this series, a big reason why they can clinch the Cup on Friday night.