The Stanley Cup Finals got off to a great start on Wednesday night, with the Colorado Avalanche taking down the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1.
Tampa Bay erased a 3-1 deficit in the opening matchup, but Andre Burakovsky scored the overtime winner just 1:23 into the extra game to put the Avs three wins away from glory. There was a lot to like about the Lightning’s pushback, which has become a theme this postseason. The Lightning have lost three-of-four Game 1’s in this postseason run, their series with the Florida Panthers being the only exception.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup Champs have continuously gotten stronger during each series, which is exactly why the Avs needed to get off to a quick start at home.