The Tampa Bay Lightning got here out swinging in the opening recreation of the first spherical towards the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring three objectives in the first interval.
The Lightning’s “big three” had been on full show as Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Anthony Cirelli, and Nikita Kucherov all discovered the again of the online.
The Tampa Bay Lightning kicked off their return to the Stanley Cup in fashion
The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three objectives in the first interval to mark an emphatic return to the Stanley Cup.
The first goal got here with 18:41 left on the clock, when Corey Perry skated behind the online and fired a shot from between the faceoff circles. Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov made the preliminary save, however the rebound fell to Bellemare, who slammed it residence for a 1-0 lead. It was a gritty, hard-fought goal, emblematic of Bellemare’s fashion of play.
The second goal got here just some minutes later, as Anthony Cirelli beat Samsonov off a rebound from a Brandon Hagel shot. Cirelli has been a key participant for the Lightning all season lengthy, offering stable two-way play and well timed scoring. His goal gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead and put the Maple Leafs on their heels.
The third goal was maybe essentially the most spectacular, as Nikita Kucherov slapped a shot previous Samsonov on the facility play with simply seconds left in the interval. Kucherov was arrange by Mikhail Sergachev and Alex Killorn, who’ve been instrumental in the Lightning’s success all season lengthy.
The goal showcased Kucherov’s unimaginable offensive expertise and the Lightning’s skill to create scoring possibilities with their energy play.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s three-goal outburst in the first interval set the tone for the remainder of the sport. The Maple Leafs, who’ve been the most effective groups in the league all season lengthy, had been clearly caught off guard by the Lightning’s relentless assault. The Lightning’s “big three” had placed on a clinic, showcasing their pace, talent, and toughness.
The Tampa Bay Lightning discovered the again of the online and bested Samsonov on solely 15 pictures to silence the house Maple Leafs crowd. They had been heavy underdogs to the Maple Leafs to start the sequence, so it is going to be attention-grabbing to see how the Maple Leafs reply after being preverbically “punched in the mouth”.
Tampa Bay’s three-goal first interval in the opening recreation of the first spherical towards the Toronto Maple Leafs was a pivotal second in the sport. The Lightning’s “big three” forwards of Pierre-Edward Bellemare, Anthony Cirelli, and Nikita Kucherov had been all instrumental in the Lightning’s success, showcasing their pace, talent, and toughness. It created a lead that might be almost insurmountable for the Maple Leafs in the subsequent two durations.
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