The Stanley Cup Finals Primer

06/15/2022 The Stanley Cup Finals Primer

By: Jeff Yoder

Who Has the Edge in the Lightning-Avalanche Stanley Cup Finals?

It’s time to drop the puck on the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, and the storylines are plentiful. The Colorado Avalanche stand in the way of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s three-peat bid. It’s been smooth sailing for the Avs, but the Bolts are the defending champs for a reason. Here’s everything you need to know before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

3-Peat Watch: The Lightning survived a seven-game series in the opening round against the Maple Leafs before sweeping the top-seeded Panthers and blasting the Rangers in four straight games to get back to the Cup Finals. Their formidable defense, streaky scoring and championship pedigree make them hard to bet against, but their three-peat hopes rest on the shoulders of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. If he can stall the Avs’ ferocious offense, the Bolts can make it a series. The Lightning would be the first team to win three straight titles since the New York Islanders (1980-1983).

 

Colorado’s Snowball Effect: On the other side, the Western Conference champs have been downright dynamic in their playoff run. They’re 12-2 in the postseason with two sweeps. They also beat the Lightning twice during the regular season, and they’re the favorites in the eyes of the oddsmakers. The Avs last won the title in 2001 and 1996. They’ve only

 

Team-by-Team Comparison

Avalanche: 56-19-7 (119 points)

Lightning: 51-23-8 (110 points)

Season Series: COL 2-0 / TBL 0-1-1

 

Players to Watch: Nathan MacKinnon has 11 goals in Colorado’s 14 playoff games, including five power-play scores to lead the way. For the Lightning, Nikita Kucherov has been the offensive threat with seven goals and 16 assists (23 points). Ondrej Palat (TB) and Cale Makar (COL) are also x-factors to watch, but both teams have star-power across the rosters. The big focus might be on the Avs’ decision in net — Will starting goalie Darcy Kuemper be ready for Game 1? Or will Colorado continue to rely on Pavel Francouz?

 

Other Storylines: The Avs made quick work of the Oilers in the West Finals, and they’re entering tonight with a nine-day layoff. Tampa Bay, on the other hand, had just a few days to gear up and travel west for Game 1.

 

Stanley Cup Finals

Game 1: Lightning at Avalanche (Tonight, 8:00 pm ET)

Odds: COL (-160) | TBL (+140)

 

Additional Storylines

B/R: 2022 Stanley Cup Finals Predictions: Avs or Lightning?

NBC Sports: Top X-Factors for the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals

ESPN: Stanley Cup Final Megapreview: Lightning 3-Peat or Avs Victory?

 

Photo: Michael Martin / Getty Images