Quick hitters from the Avalanche’s Game 1 OT win, 4-3, against Tampa Bay on Wednesday night.
Clutch Kuemper
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar faced a difficult choice entering Game 1: Stick with the hot hand at goaltender (Pavel Francouz) or go back to your trusted starter (Darcy Kuemper). Bednar picked Kuemper — fully recovered from an upper-body injury against Edmonton — and he stepped up to the challenge. Kuemper misplayed a puck in the first period leading to Nick Paul’s goal. In the second, he also got beat twice over a span of just 48 seconds.