TAMPA, Fla. — In a remarkable display of skill, Brandon Hagel achieved an NHL milestone by notching four assists in the first period alone, ultimately wrapping up with five assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning delivered a decisive 8-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.

Jake Guentzel was particularly impactful, scoring twice, while teammates Mikey Eyssimont, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Nick Perbix, Anthony Cirelli, and Luke Glendening also added goals for the Lightning. Hagel’s five assists not only tied him for a franchise record but also showcased the team’s offensive dominance.

In terms of defensive efforts, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy performed admirably, saving 23 shots throughout the match.

On the other side, Ivan Ivan was the bright spot for the Avalanche, netting both of their goals, although the team saw its three-game winning streak come to a halt. Justus Annunen struggled in goal; he was pulled early in the first period after allowing three goals on just six shots, returning to finish the third period after Alexandar Georgiev stepped in and permitted three more goals on 17 shots.

Takeaways from the match reveal that the Avalanche concluded a challenging four-game road trip, finishing with a solid 3-1 record. They had previously secured six victories in their last seven outings. Notably, Ivan recorded his inaugural multi-goal game in his career during this contest.

For the Lightning, Cirelli distinguished himself by scoring for the sixth consecutive game, making him only the sixth player in the franchise’s history to achieve such a streak. He joins the ranks of notable players like Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. Additionally, Zemgus Girgensons reached a career milestone with his 100th assist.

The pivotal moment in the game came shortly after the Lightning established a 2-0 advantage with Guentzel’s power-play goal at 7:46 in the first period. The Avalanche managed to narrow the gap just over a minute later. However, Kucherov quickly restored the two-goal buffer, further discouraging the Avalanche and forcing Annunen off the ice again after ten minutes of game time.

A key statistic from the matchup was Tampa Bay’s five-goal effort in the first period. This feat marked the fourth occurrence in franchise history where the Lightning scored five goals in the opening frame, with the last instance noted on February 23, 2011, against the Phoenix Coyotes.

Looking ahead, the Avalanche will be preparing to face off against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, while the Lightning will host the Washington Capitals on the same day to conclude their three-game homestand.