LIGHTNING HOPING TO STRIKE TWICE VS. AVALANCHE

So much for the notion that the Tampa Bay Lightning might be running out of gas against the speedy Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final.

Turns out the team’s recipe for postseason success still works when the two-time defending champions incorporate all the ingredients.

Like goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy reverting his customary stingy ways; Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman lighting up the scoresheet; and a slew of lesser-known role players contributing offensively and defensively, too.

The Lightning still trail the best-of-seven series 2-1 after bouncing back from the most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history to beat the Avalanche in Game 3. Coach Jon Cooper is confident his team is trending in the right direction.

“I probably use this word too often, but there’s a recipe in place for us to have success. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see what hasn’t worked for us in games where we’ve gotten blown out and what’s worked for us in the games we’ve won. A big part of it is managing the puck,” Cooper said.

“(The Avalanche) are a hell of a team. You give them an inch, they’ll take a mile. So you have to take away the inches all over the ice,” the coach added. “And if it breaks down you hope your goalie is there to make a save for you. If you manage the puck, it all takes off from there.”

Game 4 is tonight at Amalie Arena in Tampa, with Colorado looking to move within one victory of its first Stanley Cup title since 2001 and Tampa Bay continuing its bid for the NHL’s first threepeat in nearly 40 years.

Two nights after yielding seven goals in a blowout loss, Vasilevskiy rebounded with 37 saves in a 6-2 victory Monday night.

The Lightning’s depth was an asset, too, with six players scoring goals and a total of 10 showing up on the scoresheet.

Notable

Dallas hired Peter DeBoer as its new coach. The move comes a month after he was fired by Vegas after it missed the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s five-season history.

Edmonton gave coach Jay Woodcroft a threeyear contract extension for leading them to the NHL Western Conference final.