Lightning net 2 in 3rd to hand Avalanche rare losing streak

Field Level Media|published: Tue 6th January, 22:12 2026

NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Tampa Bay Lightning

Jan 6, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns (84) trips up Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) during the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel netted the tiebreaking goal in the third period, and the Lightning recorded a 4-2 win, their NHL-high eighth straight, to deal the visiting Colorado Avalanche just their second losing streak of the season on Tuesday night.

Hagel hit the 20-goal mark with a goal at 8:31 to put the Lightning ahead for good and he assisted on Anthony Cirelli's marker into an empty net with 1:25 left to lock down another victory.

Jake Guentzel scored a power-play goal, and Zemgus Girgensons hit the net. Nikita Kucherov's two assists moved his point streak to eight games (seven goals, 12 assists), and Darren Raddysh added two helpers. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves.

Colorado's Parker Kelly and Brock Nelson, with the latter running his point streak to six games (five goals, four assists). Goalie Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots, but the club went 1-2-0 on its three-game road trip and lost consecutive matches in regulation for the first time this season.

On the Lightning's first power play late in the first period after defenseman Brent Burns went off for tripping, Guentzel slipped the matchup's first goal through Wedgewood's pads from in close with a dozen seconds left.

At the end of a furious possession by Colorado's fourth line, Kelly jammed home the tying goal at 3:22 as the visitors came to life early in the second.

As the Eastern Conference club was finishing its second power play, Nelson sent a shot that was deflected upon its release and fluttered over Vasilevskiy's glove at 9:31 for the Avalanche's first lead.

Girgensons worked his way inside Cale Makar to shovel in a marker that evened it 2-all at 17:22.

In the third, Max Crozier ended a strong cycle of the puck by dishing it back to Hagel, who one-timed the go-ahead goal from the right circle.

With the lead, the Lightning made it difficult to get the puck through the neutral zone in the remaining time before Cirelli took a pass from Hagel for the empty-netter.

--Field Level Media

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