There will be a Game 6 in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Tampa Bay Lightning stayed alive on Friday night, defeating the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5, 3-2.
#BOLTSWIN GAME 5!!!!!!!
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2022
WE'RE SENDING IT BACK HOME FOR GAME 6!!!! pic.twitter.com/iNoWEjLgKq
With the game tied 2-2 in the third period, the Lightning's Ondrej Palat played hero, scoring the game-winning goal with under seven minutes left in Game 5. Palat got open at the top of the slot and one-timed a Victor Hedman pass by Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper, helping send the series back to Tampa Bay for Game 6.
ONDREJ FREAKIN' PALAT pic.twitter.com/wmdL8tirfg
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2022
For the second straight game in the series, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was tremendous in net for the Lightning. Vasilevskiy turned away 35 of 37 of Colorado's shots, plus all three pucks sent his way on the penalty kill.
Tampa Bay's Jan Rutta kicked off the scoring Friday night, firing home a slap-shot goal to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead late in the first period.
*GASP* pic.twitter.com/BCa9iTKKdg
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2022
The Avalanche responded early in the second period when Valeri Nichushkin scored, knocking home a rebound to tie the game 1-1 at 5:07. However, Nikita Kucherov scored on the power-play minutes later, putting the Lightning up 2-1 heading into the third period.
Sneaky, sneaky pic.twitter.com/Rvw3eNYjHd
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2022
Colorado responded again, tying the game on Cale Makar's goal just 2:31 into the third. The game remained tied throughout the first half of the period until Palat's game-winner.
The Lightning will look to stay alive once again and force a Game 7 on Sunday when they host the Avalanche for Game 6 at 8 p.m. ET.
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