It's the final we've all been waiting for. The league's most exciting team and the back-to-back champions are the last two teams standing as the Avalanche and the Lightning meet in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final.
At just 23 years old, Cale Makar is quickly putting himself into the conversation with all-time great defenseman. The Avalanche blue liner leads the team in points with 22 in 14 playoff games.
Avalanche vs. Lightning schedule, TV channel
Date
Game
Matchup
June 15
Game 1
Lightning at Avalanche
June 18
Game 2
Lightning at Avalanche
June 20
Game 3
Avalanche at Lightning
Date
Game
Matchup
June 22
Game 4
Avalanche at Lightning
June 24
Game 5
Lightning at Avalanche
June 26
Game 6
Avalanche at Lightning
June 28
Game 7
Lightning at Avalanche
Avalanche vs. Lightning prediction
Colorado has been far and above the most dominant team during the playoffs. Through three rounds, they only lost two games and have averaged 4.64 goals per game while giving up 2.86.
While Tampa Bay has been better defensively, allowing 2.50 goals per game, they are averaging a goal and a half less than the Avs, producing at a clip of 3.13.
The Lightning just have an ability that when they go up a goal or two, they know how to switch gears and shut it down in their own zone. They get it over the red line and dump it in on offense, and lock things down on defense.
Tampa proved it can handle a coast-to-coast team when it held Florida's high-flying offense to three goals in four games. They face a similar test with the Avs.
The second is health. I think the absence of Kadri is going to be monumental. There's such a little chance they get him back and even if so, there is no way he'll be 100%.
It's regrettable that the Avs season comes down to the result of a dirty play, but I just don't see the Avalanche's top-six being the same without Kadri.