The final series of the Stanley Cup with each match is getting hotter. In the last meeting, Colorado inflicted a crushing defeat on Tampa with a score of 7: 0 in their arena, and now he himself has lost a very impressive one – 2: 6. The intrigue is alive and spinning with renewed vigor.

However, the most important victory of “Tampa” is overshadowed by an extremely unpleasant event, the culprit of which was the opponent’s defender Devon Teyvz. Towards the end of the match, the Canadian vilely “broke” the Russian Nikita Kucherov. Now it is not known whether our striker will be able to take part in the next game.

Those who break the rules can even be sanctioned. The reception was too rough.

Tired!

For Kucherov, the match turned out to be extremely successful, if not for the ending. Nikita chalked up two assists and repeated the achievement of Wayne Gretzky, who scored at least 25 points in the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. Following the meeting, the Russian was recognized as the second star after team captain Stephen Stamkos. Tampa clearly drew conclusions from the previous match and looked many times better. And why couldn’t it have been played like this from the very beginning of the series? However, in this playoff draw, we have already seen that the Lightnings like to add in the course of the confrontation.

Photo: © REUTERS / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

As for Kucherov, he was simply unstoppable. The Tampa winger turned out to be one of the most active players on the ice and was constantly in the thick of things, handing out sharp passes. Apparently, at the end of the game, he was rather tired of his opponents. Having failed to cope with Nikita within the rules, they used a forbidden technique …

Didn’t spare

The third period came out pretty nervous. Especially passions ran high after Colorado defender Devon Toews used force on Kucherov. Nikita was near the side, and the Canadian did not spare him. He smashed his opponent into the fence with all his might, and then, out of inertia, he also fell on him with his knee, in fact, finishing off the opponent who was already lying. It seems that the Canadian went to this out of impotence, otherwise such meanness simply does not make sense. Teyvz immediately got a two-minute removal, but this was little consolation for Kucherov, who could not continue the game. For some time he returned to the ice, but then he still went to the locker room.

Photo: © Mike Carlson / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

After the match, many wondered: will Nikita be able to take part in the next meeting? Unfortunately, no one can give a clear answer yet.

— Foul Toews? When you ask for comment on such things, you yourself know the answer very well. But this is a contact game, and the guys understand everything, ”Sportsnet quotes Tampa head coach John Cooper.

“It was a dangerous game. Let’s see if it results in some serious damage. I hope not,” Kucherov’s teammate Viktor Hedman told The Sporting News.

So far, there is no news on Kucherov. Apparently, you need to conduct medical examinations to understand if there is cause for concern. But they are already talking about possible penalties for Teyvz. The Canadian foul was reminiscent of an episode from 2019, when St. Louis Blues guard Robert Bortuzzo pinned Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson. Bortuzzo then received a four-match ban. True, the Canadian was a real tough guy and did this trick twice in one match. It was the relapse that caused such a harsh punishment.

NHL. Playoffs

Tampa Bay Lightning (Tampa) – Colorado Avalanche (Denver) – 6:2 (2:1, 4:1, 0:0)

Goals: Cirelli, 13:03. Chambers, 14:54. Paul, 21:26. Stamkos, 27:52. Maroun 31:15. Perry, 34:58 (bol.). — Landeskog, 8:19 (bol.), 24:43 (bol.).

Score in the series – 1:2