Analysis from the Avs’ 7-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday at Ball Arena:
Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Avalanche — Chu-ching! Every time Big Val Nichushkin scores in a Cup Final, does a cash register bell go off on his agent’s cellphone? The Avs’ right winger is up to eight goals for this playoff run, and three in the first two games of this series, after his silky wrister gave Colorado a giddy 4-0 lead. Nichushkin is on the final year of a two-year, $5 million deal worth a reported $2.5 million annually. If this keeps up, he’ll probably double that salary on the open market.
Andre Burakovsky, LW, Avalanche — Speaking of getting paid, Burakovsky’s also coming to the end of a contract year, and coming to it blazing hot. The Avs winger essentially put the game to bed with 6:08 left in the first period by slotting a rebound past Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to push Colorado’s lead to 3-0. It also accounted for Burky’s third point over the first two games of the series.
Cale Makar, D, Avalanche — Welcome to the party, No. 8. The best defenseman on the planet but a bow on one of the most fun nights ever at Ball Arena with two third-period goals, both on special teams. Makar beat the Lightning down the ice for a short-handed score roughly two minutes into the stanza, then added salt to Tampa Bay’s wounds with a power-play wrister seven minutes and 45 seconds later to put the hosts up 7-0.
