For the first time in NHL History we have two teams that don’t have an S at the end of their name playing in the Final!
The stage is set and we are ready for the showdown between the The Tampa Bay Lightning vs Colorado Avalanche.
Based on their higher regular-season point total, the Avalanche will host Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-7 series, as well as Games 5 and 7, if necessary. The Lightning will host Games 3 and 4, as well as Game 6, if necessary.
Game 1 is tonight at 8pm at the Ball Arena in Denver. No Cinderella story this year but we have two of the best in the NHL that deserve a shot to win THE CUP!
The Bolts are the reigning back to back champions and going to the 3-Peat and 4th Stanley Cup in Franchise History! The last team to win 3 in a row were the Islanders when they won 4 straight 1980-83. The Lightning have won 11 straight Playoffs Series. They hoisted the Cup in 2021 in 5 games over the surprising Montreal Canadiens and in 6 games over the Dallas Stars in The Pandemic Bubble in 2020.
The AVS are going for their 3rd Cup and first since 2001. The Avalanche are coming off a sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final and are the favorites prior to Game 1 at -170 according to OddShark and most bookies have them winning the Cup.
The status of starter Darcy Kuemper is still up in the air but expected to start but it didn’t seem to matter in the series with Edmonton as backup Pavel Francouz picked up 3 wins in 3 starts including a shutout against the Oilers.
Tampa has the best goalie in the NHL Andrei Vasilevskiy and a stacked roster of superstars with playoff pedigree and an elite coaching staff.
Colorado is considered the best team overall team on paper and in many analytical categories but TBL is pretty close behind.
The Avalanche won both matchups against the Lightning during the regular season 3-2 and 4-3 in a shootout.
2022 Stanley Cup Final Schedule
Tampa Bay (A3) vs. Colorado (C1)
Wednesday, June 15: Lightning at Avalanche, 8pm
Saturday, June 18: Lightning at Avalanche, 8 pm
Monday, June 20: Avalanche at Lightning, 8 pm
Wednesday, June 22: Avalanche at Lightning, 8 pm
*Friday, June 24: Lightning at Avalanche, 8 pm
*Sunday, June 26: Avalanche at Lightning, 8 pm
*Tuesday, June 28: Lightning at Avalanche, 8 pm
Featured Image from NHL.com
