Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told reporters that "the right team won tonight" after the host Colorado Avalanche earned a 4-3 overtime win over the Bolts in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday.
Colorado outshot Tampa Bay 38-23 and held a 3-1 first-period lead after Artturi Lehkonen's power-play goal at the 17:31 mark. However, Tampa Bay struck back with two second-period goals to tie the game at three.
Neither team scored in the third, but overtime lasted just 1:23 after Andre Burakovsky put home the game-winner.
Despite the tough loss, the head coach of the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions took away some positives.