TAMPA BAY, Fla. (KDVR) — The Colorado Avalanche are two wins away from bringing home the Stanley Cup but the team is focusing on one game at a time after a 7-0 blowout Game 2 win on Saturday night.
Coach Jared Bednar said the team still has to play some really good hockey knowing the Tampa Bay Lightning have only lost one postseason game at home.
“We know how good of a team Tampa has been and is and they’re coming home,” Bednar said. “In our minds, all we did was take care of our home ice. We got the start we wanted in the series and it’s up to us to follow that up here in a difficult Tampa building.”
Bednar also said no matter where the team plays, it’s more about staying even-keeled and playing to their identity with consistency and depth.
“Obviously we’re expecting their best game, and they’re going to be desperate,” Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog said after Monday’s morning skate. “Having said that and knowing that it still doesn’t change anything for us. We want to get to our game as fast as possible, have a good start, and keep building from there. They’re a really, really good opponent and especially here at home but we’ve been pretty good on the road too so far this year.”
Mikko Rantanen said on Sunday that the team’s mentality is to reset and move on from one game to the next and that’s how they’re preparing for Game 3 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.
Andre Burakovsky did not travel with the team after he injured his hand in the second period of the shutout and did not return to the game. Bednar said he and Nazem Kadri remain day-to-day.
The puck drops after 6 p.m. and there are two team-sponsored watch parties for games 3 and 4 at Ball Arena and on the Tivoli Quad at Auraria located at 900 Auraria Parkway, across from Ball Arena. Unfortunately, the Ball Arena parties are already sold out.