Denver Hosts Historical Game Two

In 1919 the NHL had the first 7-0 shutout in the Stanley Cup playoffs versus the PCHL Champions during a season where both League Championship teams had their names etched as co-winners on the Stanley Cup.

Over 100 seasons later we have the NHL’s second 7-0 Stanley Cup Finals shutout, the largest shutout Stanley Cup Finals victory remains the Penguin’s 8-0 series-ending win in 1991 versus Minnesota.

How Tampa Bay responds for games three and four at home is first and foremost on everyone’s mind today, the Lightning uncharacteristically played with little vim and vigor last night highlighted by their stationary play and the numerous statistics in Colorado’s favor.

During the 1970s I listened to many NHL games on my transistor radio, and last night I listened to Denver’s KKSE “The Altitude Radio Network” for period one and Florida’s WFLA “Lightning Radio” to take in period two, then video replay for period three.  

Colorado again opens the scoring first doing so on the power play, 3 SOG, and 61 seconds into the contest it is 1-0 Avalanche assisted by rookie Mr. Newhook getting the secondary helper. 

The Denver radio announcer shouts, “Man Oh Manson” as defenseman Mr. Manson scores Colorado’s second goal with another assist from rookie Mr. Newhook and the 2-0 lead.

A rebound results in the third goal for the Avalanche as the radio announcer informs his audience that “Andre the Giant” Burakovsky put that in and has given Colorado a three-goal lead.

Less than four minutes remaining in the first period and you can hear the crowd chanting, “We want the Cup”, then the radio announcer has an on-air hissy fit as he cannot believe Mr. Kuemper (served by the rookie Mr. Newhook) is getting penalized as well as Mr. Perry.

Colorado Center Mr. Helm at 35 years of age appearing in his ninth NHL Stanley Cup playoff season had issued seven hits by this point of the game and easily became the NHL hits playoff leader these playoffs.

Finally, the radio announcer practically had a heart attack as Mr. Stamkos slashes in “broad daylight” and other Lightning players are, “barking at the Colorado players and running the goalie”, but with 80 seconds left, the period is mercifully allowed to end.  

For the second period, I had switched to WFLA “Lightning Radio” to listen to the Tampa Bay announcer’s perspective, almost five minutes in and no SOG I am informed how the Avalanche are quick on the Lightning players and causing missed passes.

The fourth goal is scored when Mr. Palat softly gives the puck away behind the net to Mr. Rantanen who then alertly passes it right out in front to Mr. Nichushkin at the mid-faceoff circle/slot area whose accurate shot eluded Mr. Vasilevskiy.

The 15-season veteran Mr. Helm takes a deflected puck deep in his zone and proceeds to skate right down Main Street past a Lightning change and as soon as he enters the faceoff circle to the right of Mr. Vasilevskiy snaps a wrister for the 5-0 Avalanche lead.

A two-on-one short-handed odd-man rush halfway through Tampa Bay’s powerplay affords Mr. Makar an opportunity to shoot and score to increase Colorado’s lead to 6-0 only a couple minutes into the third period.

Finally, goal seven came on a Colorado power play midway through the third period when Mr. Makar scores his second of the game blocker side, interestingly Mr. Vasilevskiy is not pulled and finished the game.

Game Three Monday Night for Tampa Bay’s first home game of the series game time is set to begin at eight o’clock.