Victor Olofsson scored twice for the Colorado Avalanche, who cooled off the Tampa Bay Lightning’s five-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
Ross Colton also found the back of the net, while Nathan MacKinnon extended his point streak to seven games with an assist.
Goaltender Scott Wedgewood turned aside 22 shots for the Avalanche (8-1-5), who extended their point streak to five games (3-0-2).
“It was a grind tonight,” coach Jared Bednar said. “We didn’t have our best jump, but we played the right way. Defensively, we were dialed in, and the group stayed patient. That’s what good teams do when the legs aren’t there.”
For Tampa Bay (6-5-2), Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point scored, while Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 of 33 shots. The loss snapped the Lightning’s five-game win streak.
Game Summary
First Period:
Tampa Bay opened the scoring just 97 seconds into the game when Kucherov picked off a failed rim attempt by Cale Makar and jammed it past Wedgewood’s pad for a 1-0 lead.
Colorado responded at 13:51 when Olofsson buried a rebound on the power play after MacKinnon’s initial chance was stopped by Vasilevskiy. The period ended tied 1-1, with both teams exchanging chances.
Second Period:
Olofsson struck again early, blasting a one-timer at 4:08 to give Colorado the lead. Just over a minute later, Ross Colton broke free on a breakaway and scored on a slick forehand move at 5:21 to make it 3-1.
The Avalanche dominated puck possession in the middle frame, outshooting the Lightning 15-7 while controlling the pace at 5-on-5.
Third Period:
The Lightning showed pushback early in the third. Brayden Point cut the deficit to one with a strong rush down the wing, roofing a backhand past Wedgewood at 3:32.
Tampa pressed for the equalizer, but the Avalanche tightened defensively down the stretch, killing off a late penalty and blocking multiple shots to secure the win.
Stats of the Game
| Category | Avalanche | Lightning |
| Shots on Goal | 33 | 24 |
| Faceoff % | 50.8 | 49.2 |
| Power Play | 1/4 | 0/3 |
| Hits | 17 | 23 |
| Blocked Shots | 15 | 14 |
| Giveaways | 11 | 14 |
| Takeaways | 3 | 4 |
Avalanche Highlights
• Victor Olofsson: 2 G, 2 PTS, 2 SOG, TOI 14:07
• Ross Colton: 1 G, 1 PTS, 3 SOG, TOI 12:11
• Nathan MacKinnon: 1 A, 1 PTS, 6 SOG
• Scott Wedgewood: 2 GA on 24 Shots (.917 SV%)
Notes
• Nathan MacKinnon extended his point streak to seven games (4G, 6A) — the 25th of his career of at least seven games. Only Joe Sakic (35) has more in Avalanche history.
• Jack Drury appeared in his 200th NHL game.
• Tristen Nielsen made his NHL debut, logging 5:25 TOI.
Final Thought: Quality Win for the Avalanche
It wasn’t the Avalanche’s flashiest win, but it was one of their most complete team efforts.
They didn’t start strong, yet they controlled the final forty minutes with smart puck movement and defensive discipline. The power play went 1-for-4, but it generated sustained pressure each time it was on the ice.
Scott Wedgewood made timely saves, while Olofsson’s two-goal night and Colton’s breakaway finish were the difference.
This was a veteran-style win — the kind that good teams stack up over a long season.
Next Game
Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena
Puck drop: 10:00 PM ET.
