Stanley Cup: Avalanche thrashes Lightning to move one win closer to title

• Avalanche beat Lightning to get one win closer to the title.
• Colorado are favorites to win the Cup.
• Game 5 will be played on June 25.

Nazem Kadri blasted in an overtime winner as the Colorado Avalanche upset the Tampa Bay Lighting 3-2 in overtime to move within one win of the Stanley Cup crown on Wednesday.

Let’s take this home!#FindAWay #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/6ZDIOQ9x9i

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 23, 2022

Kadri blasted a shot past Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy deep into the first period of sudden-death overtime at Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena to put the Avs 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Read more: Tampa Bay Lightning thrashes Colorado Avalanche 6-2 in game 3

Colorado can clinch the NHL championship on Friday with a victory against the reigning Stanley Cup holders in game five in Denver.

Kadri’s winner came as he returned to the Avs lineup after an 18-day hiatus following surgery on an injured thumb.

“That was a huge win, we stuck with it and were able to get it done in the OT,” said Kadri after a game in which Colorado twice came from behind to level in regulation.

Kadri admitted he was not sure his winning shot had found the net at first.

“I thought he made the save for a second,” he said. “The next thing you know people are sprinting towards me. It’s a great feeling.

“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life so I figured stop waiting and join the party. You couldn’t have written a better story.”

Read more: Colorado Avalanche eyes third Stanley Cup since 1996

Earlier, Tampa Bay got off to a dream start, seizing the lead after only 36 seconds when centre Anthony Cirelli fired a rebound past Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper after Erik Cernak’s shot.

Avalanche and Lightning will face each other in the fifth game on June 25.