The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche kick off the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals this Wednesday at Ball Arena. Who draws first blood? Check out our preview below of this Lightning vs. Avs 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals game.
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Betting Preview for the Tampa Bay Lightning vs Colorado Avalanche 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 on June 15, 2022
Where: Ball Arena, Denver
When: Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Lightning (+1.5) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-1.5) – view all 2021-22 NHL lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning (+1.5)
Regular Season Record: 51-23-8
Although the Lightning are the underdogs in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, they are a seriously dangerous ‘dogs. For one, they are the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Plus, the core of Tampa Bay is the same as the ones that won the last two Cups. Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat, and Nikita Kucherov are having so much success in the first line of the Lightning. The trio helped the Lightning weather the absence of Brayden Point in the entire Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers. Point’s status remains uncertain, but the Lightning will have enough weapons to put Colorado’s defense to the absolute test. The Avs have great defensemen, but their goalie depth is a suspect. The Lightning, who just solved Vezina Trophy favorite Igor Shesterkin, have Andrei Vasilevskity in front of the net. Vasilevskiy has been money throughout the playoffs for Tampa Bay, which is allowing just 2.41 goals per game in the postseason.
The Lightning are 5-1 in their last 6 games in Colorado.
Betting on the Colorado Avalanche (-1.5)
Regular Season Record: 56-19-7
The Avs finally know who they would be facing in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. Colorado will come into the finals with fresher legs, as it swept Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference finals. The Avs also 4-0’d the Nashville Predators in the first round. So far in the playoffs, the Avs have lost just twice, both in the second round versus the St. Louis Blues. Like the Lightning, though, the Avs have a key player with an uncertain status heading into the finals. That’s center Nazem Kadri, who suffered a hand injury in the Oilers series. He is unlikely to return this season, but he’s not yet officially ruled out, either. In any case, the Avs’ offense should remain fine. Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen have all been effective attackers for Colorado. And of course, there’s two-way defenseman Cale Makar, who leads the Avs this postseason with 22 points. The pair of Makar and Devon Toews is going to be a proble for the Lightning’s forwards.
The Avs are 57-13 in their last 70 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lightning win, 2-1.
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