The Colorado Avalanche pushed the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning to the brink on Wednesday night with a 3-2 win that put them up 3-1 in the Stanley Cup Final at best seven games.
The Avalanche overcame two one-goal deficits with fortuitous rebounds, then Nazem Kadri scored in overtime to leave them one win away from their first championship since 2001.
Kadri was making his first appearance since undergoing thumb surgery in the conference finals.
Colorado can wrap up the series at Denver’s Ball Arena on Friday (8 p.m. ET, TAUT).
The Lightning, which won 6-2 in Game 3, got off to a good start when Anthony Cirelli scored 36 seconds past Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper, who was taken out in Game 3, lost his mask before Cirelli scored on a rebound.
SPORTS NEWSLETTER: Sign up now to receive daily top sports headlines
Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado tied the game on the power play with a deflection of his skate for his first goal of the series and his 12th of the playoffs.
Defenseman Victor Hedman gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead in the second period before Andrew Cogliano tied the game in the third period when Niko Sturm’s shot bounced off him.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanley Cup Finals: Avalanche win in overtime, push Lightning to brink
