Lightning vs. Avalanche Game 1 Prediction
Game 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final will take place on Tuesday night at Ball Arena in Denver, CO where the Avalanche will host the Lightning at 8:00 p.m. ET. With the Aves favored on the money line and the total sitting at 6 goals, what’s the top play in this series opener?
Game Snapshot
011 Tampa Bay Lightning (+131) at 012 Colorado Avalanche (-157); o/u 6
8:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Tampa Bay Lightning DFS Spin
Steven Stamkos scored two goals in Saturday’s 2-1 Game 6 Eastern Conference Final win over the New York Rangers. In a tense, low-scoring game, the Lightning showed the heart of a (back-to-back) champion. With Andrei Vasilevskiy shutting down everything that came his way, Stamkos provided the offensive push for Tampa Bay, snapping a goal to the left-hand corner of the net against Igor Shesterkin with under 10 minutes remaining in the second period — that put the Lightning up 1-0 on the scoreboard — before going on to post a go-ahead goal in the third period just moments after Frank Vatrano had tied the game at 1-1 with a goal of his own. Stamkos was brilliant during the Eastern Conference Final, scoring five goals with seven total points in six games.
Colorado Avalanche DFS Spin
Cale Makar will play in his 50th career postseason contest in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night. Only five players in Avalanche/Nordiques history have more points through their first 50 playoff contests than Makar. He has amassed 12 goals and 53 points in 49 matches during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which includes five markers and 17 assists in 14 matches this year.
Lightning vs. Avalanche Game 1 Betting Prediction
The road team is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings between these two teams, while the Lightning are 5-1 in their last six games at Ball Arena. The Bolts have also won eight of their last nine games following a victory, are 4-0 in their last four games versus a team with a winning record and are 13-3 in their last 16 playoff games as an underdog. The Lightning have won 19 of their last 26 games overall, are 6-2 in their last eight games versus Central Division opponents and are 37-17 in their last 54 games against Western Conference opponents.
2021-22 NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL PREDICTION: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING +131
