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    Andre Burakovsky Praised for OT Winner as Avs Beat Lightning in Game 1

    Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVJune 16, 2022

    DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 15: Andre Burakovsky #95 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during overtime to win Game One of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final 4-3 at Ball Arena on June 15, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
    Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

    How about that for a Game 1?

    Andre Burakovsky gave the Colorado Avalanche a 1-0 advantage in the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night, scoring the game-winning goal one minute and 23 seconds into overtime to give the Avs a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

    NHL @NHL

    OT WINNER FROM ANDRE BURAKOVSKY!!! 🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bp3mQJyUyV">pic.twitter.com/Bp3mQJyUyV</a>

    ESPN @espn

    “This is a dream since I was a kid.” <br><br>—<a href="https://twitter.com/andreburakovsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andreburakovsky</a> after scoring the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> Final <a href="https://t.co/m3KXYcKILu">pic.twitter.com/m3KXYcKILu</a>

    Not surprisingly, his huge goal was the talk of Twitter after the game:

    Grant Paulsen @granthpaulsen

    Andre Burakovsky just scored an OT game-winner in the Stanley Cup. That's my baby boy. <a href="https://t.co/s3YI7F3ueV">pic.twitter.com/s3YI7F3ueV</a>

    Samantha Pell @SamanthaJPell

    Tonight wasn’t the first time Andre Burakovsky has played hero for his team vs Tampa. <br><br>In 2018 with WSH, he scored two goals in a Game 7 win in the Eastern Conference finals vs Tampa. We know what happened next.

    Zach @_jewy_

    The Tampa bay lightning when they see Andre Burakovsky <a href="https://t.co/YCGObVe7sg">pic.twitter.com/YCGObVe7sg</a>

    Peter Baugh @Peter_Baugh

    Andre Burakovsky just scored the biggest goal of his career. <br><br>Avs lead the series 1-0.

    Pierre LeBrun @PierreVLeBrun

    Burakovsky on the one-timer, Avs win 4-3 in OT.<br>This is going to be such a fun series. High-event hockey.

    Jesse Montano @jessemontano_

    What an unbelievable pass from Nichushkin. Great look, and great patience to throw that puck back across the grain, and a great finish from Burakovsky. <br><br>That was a fantastic game.

    Mark Scheig @markscheig

    Andre Burakovsky can shoot a puck. Biggest shot of his life so far.

    Lukas Weese @Weesesports

    Andre Burakovsky with the OT winner for the Avalanche.<br><br>This Stanley Cup Final is going to be AWESOME.

    Burakovsky was given his flowers, and justifiably so, but this was a wild game that played out over three acts.

    Act One: The Avs jumped to 2-0 and 3-1 leads behind goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen.

    NHL @NHL

    LET THE SCORING BEGIN. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <br><br>🇺🇸: ABC ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MaghIRjzUG">https://t.co/MaghIRjzUG</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MOir2YeltA">https://t.co/MOir2YeltA</a> <a href="https://t.co/scGluR3TUT">pic.twitter.com/scGluR3TUT</a>

    NHL @NHL

    Valeri Nichushkin is up and running! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <br><br>🇺🇸: ABC ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MaghIR1Yw6">https://t.co/MaghIR1Yw6</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MOir2YvWl8">https://t.co/MOir2YvWl8</a> <a href="https://t.co/1pxnpnLenY">pic.twitter.com/1pxnpnLenY</a>

    NHL @NHL

    Artturi Lehkonen with the perfeeeeeect deflection! 👌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a><br><br>🇺🇸: ABC ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MaghIRjzUG">https://t.co/MaghIRjzUG</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MOir2YeltA">https://t.co/MOir2YeltA</a> <a href="https://t.co/CuhZaL5AAT">pic.twitter.com/CuhZaL5AAT</a>

    Act Two: The Lightning, showing the poise of a two-time defending champion, pulled even behind goals from Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev within a minute of one another.

    NHL @NHL

    KUCH. 😳😲🤯 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <br><br>🇺🇸: ABC ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MaghIR1Yw6">https://t.co/MaghIR1Yw6</a><br>🇨🇦: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet</a> ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/MOir2YvWl8">https://t.co/MOir2YvWl8</a> <a href="https://t.co/lZIbzret95">pic.twitter.com/lZIbzret95</a>

    Sportsnet @Sportsnet

    Never count out the defending champs 😤 <br><br>WE. ARE. TIED. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBolts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBolts</a> <a href="https://t.co/cuHFpgsld0">pic.twitter.com/cuHFpgsld0</a>

    Andre Burakovsky Praised for OT Winner as Avs Beat Lightning in Game 1
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    Act Three: The two teams, after the explosive opening periods, played to a stalemate in the third period before Burakovsky called game in overtime.

    We've got all the early makings of an epic series here, folks.

    The Lightning will look to bounce back in Colorado during Saturday's Game 2 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN).