The Colorado Avalanche experienced their first consecutive losses of the season. Brandon Hagel scored his 20th goal in the third period, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-2 victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday night at Benchmark International Arena, marking Tampa Bay’s eighth consecutive win. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves for the Lightning, while Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson scored for Colorado. Prior to this, the Avalanche had only lost three regulation games this season. Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots for Colorado.
Early in the game, Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh was ejected for pinning Nathan MacKinnon within the crease, giving Colorado an early power-play chance. Despite strong efforts from the Avalanche, including a powerful one-timer from Kalle Makar, Vasilevskiy successfully defended every attempt, keeping the game scoreless initially.
Late in the first period during a penalty kill, Colorado conceded a goal with just 12 seconds remaining. A swift passing play involving Sam Malinsky and Nikita Kucherov set up Jake Guentzel, who capitalized by scoring, putting Tampa Bay ahead 1-0.
The Avalanche showed signs of life in the second period. Zakhar Bardakov initiated a play leading to Parker Kelly’s equalizer early in the period. The momentum continued after Colorado’s penalty expired, with Cale Makar assisting Brock Nelson’s goal that gave Colorado a 2-1 lead, which ultimately was their final score of the game.
However, puck control was problematic for Colorado, affecting even their top defenders. A rare mistake by Makar allowed Zemgus Girgensons to tie the game for Tampa Bay before the final period.
Brandon Hagel reclaimed the lead for Tampa Bay early in the third period with a swift shot past Wedgewood. Anthony Cirelli then secured the win with an empty-net goal, finalizing the score at 4-2.
The Avalanche have struggled with puck management this season, but this game was a clear example of the cost of those errors. After some tough matches, returning home might offer a boost, especially as the team looks for more contributions from their top players. The team’s depth has been a strength, but the frontline needs to step up more consistently.
The Avalanche (31-4-7) will host the Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) on Thursday at Ball Arena, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.
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Fan Take: This loss is a wake-up call for Colorado, reminding hockey fans that even top teams can falter if they don’t capitalize on their chances and manage the puck well. It highlights the competitive nature of the sport and sets the stage for intense battles ahead as teams fight to maintain momentum in the playoffs race.
