The Colorado Avalanche have the opportunity to hoist the Stanley Cup on Friday night. The Avalanche lead the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals with Game 5 being played in Denver. Colorado won Game 4 in overtime away, giving the Avs a chance to take the title at home. Tampa Bay must now overcome a street riot to stay alive in the pursuit of a third straight championship.
The opening faceoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET in Denver. Colorado is a -175 favorite (risk $175 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Lightning vs. Avalanche odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Tampa Bay is a +150 underdog, and the over-under for total goals scored is six. Before you make an Avalanche vs. Lightning pick, check out the SportsLine projection model NHL predictions.
The model simulates each NHL game 10,000 times. It enters the second week of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals with a 23-18 run on its premier NHL minors. Everyone who has followed him has seen profitable returns.
Now the model has her sights set on Avs vs. Lightning. You can visit SportsLine now to see the selection. Here are the NHL odds and betting trends for Lightning vs. Avs:
- Lightning vs. Avalanche money line: Avalanche -175, Lightning +150
- Lightning vs. Avalanche Over-Under: 6 goals
- Blitz vs Avalanche puck line: Avalanche -1.5 (+150)
- Lightning vs Avalanche Tickets: See Tickets at StubHub
- TB: The Lightning were 24-15-2 in regular season road games
- COL: The Avalanche were 32-5-4 in regular season home games
Featured Game | Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Why the Avalanche can win
Colorado flies high and comes home to a harsh environment. The Avalanche are 15-3 in the playoffs and dominating the competition at every level. That includes eight wins in their last nine games, and Colorado has been without a light at Ball Arena this season. The Avalanche were 32-5-4 at home in regular-season games, and Colorado are also in contention after a memorable Game 4 win.
Nazem Kadri contributed to Wednesday’s game winner in his first action since breaking his thumb in a sweep win in the Western Conference Finals. That overtime win skewed things even more in Colorado’s vein, with the 3-1 lead in the NHL holding up well historically. Teams leading 3-1 in Stanley Cup Playoff series have 298 wins in 329 series, including a 35-1 record in the Stanley Cup Finals under those terms. It’s even more favorable for teams hosting Game 5 and a potential Game 7 as the Avalanche display their talents behind a strong roster.
Why the Flash can win
Tampa Bay’s defense has improved over the course of the series. The Lightning have only conceded two regular goals in each of their last two games, and Tampa Bay shouldn’t be taken aback by the rowdy atmosphere in Denver. The Lightning came back from a 3-2 straight deficit earlier in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and resilience is a crowning trait of the two-time reigning champion.
The Lightning conceded just 2.78 goals per game in the regular season, No. 6 in the NHL, and reigning Conn Smythe winner Andrei Vasilevskiy is an X-Factor. The four-time All-Star goalie is conceding just 2.57 goals per game in the playoffs with a save percentage of .920. Vasilevskiy also has 71 saves in the last two games combined. With that backend resistance and a deep, talented offense with real star power, it’s tough for any team to finish Tampa Bay in a seven-game streak.
How to do Lightning vs Avalanche picks
SportsLine’s model leans towards the total as the simulations combined the teams for 7.2 goals. It also says that one side of the money line has all the value. You only get the choice at SportsLine.
Who Will Win Lightning vs. Avalanche in Game 5 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals? And which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line Avalanche vs Lightning to jump to, all from the advanced model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times.