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Colorado Avalanche could find success with close shots vs Lightning

By Graham Tiedtke

Jun 15, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) pokes the puck away from Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher (37) during the second period of game one of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena. Lightning. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) pokes the puck away from Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher (37) during the second period of game one of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena. Lightning. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Colorado Avalanche can potentially find some success against the Tampa Bay Lightning if they get in close to goaltender Andrej Vasilevskiy

The Colorado Avalanche will face the Tampa Bay Lightning again in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. They came out victorious 4-3 in their first matchup but it came down to an overtime goal by Andre Burakovsky.

Throughout the remaining games of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Avalanche will need to try and take advantage of the area on the ice in which Vasilevskiy allows the majority of his goals: up close between the dots.

According to this chart, Vasilevskiy allows 45 percent(!) of his goals against in this area. That’s a staggering number. In comparison, the rest of the league combined allows 38 percent of its goals in the same area. Between the dots and up close appears to be a significant weakness in Vasilevskiy’s game.

That’s not to say that the Avalanche will for sure have success in that area, but it’s a good sign and indicator of what we should expect for the remaining games of the series.

The Avalanche have the appropriate amount of speed to try and outmatch the Lightning and generate rushes to the net.

I would love to see a play design where the puck is behind Vasilevskiy’s net and taken from the Avalanche, and then passed to somebody like Nathan Mackinnon or Gabriel Landeskog for a slap shot.

Even if that type of play doesn’t result in a goal every time, getting rebounds would result in even more opportunities.

Colorado Avalanche can expose Vasilevskiy with these shots

While Vasilevskiy allows 45 percent of his goals against in that close-middle area, he has a much better success rate everywhere else on the ice.

On the left circle, he allows 11 percent and on the right circle, just eight percent. In the crease, he allows 21 percent while the rest of the league allows 23 percent.

At the top-middle of the dots, Vasilevskiy allows eight percent and at the blue line, seven percent.

For more keys to a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, you can check out this article.

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