Colorado Avalanche Face Consecutive Losses
The Colorado Avalanche have experienced consecutive losses for the first time this season after being defeated 4-2 by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena. This defeat marks the beginning of a challenging stretch for the Avalanche, who previously had only three regulation losses.
Key Performers
Brandon Hagel played a decisive role for the Lightning, netting his 20th goal of the season to break a tie in the third period. Andrei Vasilevskiy was a standout performer in goal for Tampa Bay, making 31 saves and helping secure their eighth consecutive victory. For Colorado, goals came from Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson, but the team struggled to maintain their usual high level of play.
Game Highlights
The game started with the Avalanche getting an early power play opportunity when Darren Raddysh was penalized for holding Nathan MacKinnon. Despite creating several scoring chances, including a powerful shot from Cale Makar, Colorado failed to capitalize as Vasilevskiy thwarted their efforts. Just before the first intermission, the Lightning took the lead. With 12 seconds left in the period, Jake Guentzel scored after a quick sequence of plays that caught the Avalanche off-guard, making it 1-0.
The Avalanche responded in the second period, with Zakhar Bardakov assisting Parker Kelly to tie the game early on. Following a Bardakov penalty, the Avalanche took the lead when Cale Makar set up Brock Nelson, whose shot squeezed past Vasilevskiy. However, the Avalanche’s lead was short-lived as a rare mistake from Makar allowed Zemgus Girgensons to score and equalize before the second period ended.
In the third frame, Hagel quickly regained Tampa Bay’s advantage with a swift goal, followed by an empty-net score from Anthony Cirelli, sealing the game for the Lightning. The Avalanche have faced challenges with puck management this season, and this loss highlighted those issues.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Avalanche (31-4-7) will attempt to bounce back against the Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) at Ball Arena on Thursday, with coverage starting at 7 p.m. local time. The Avalanche will need to find more offensive support from their top players after a tough road trip.
