The 2022 Stanley Cup Final continues with Game 5 from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, so we bring you the best Lightning vs. Avalanche betting pick and odds for Friday, June 24. 

The Colorado Avalanche are one win away from the title. They open as -173 home favorites for Game 5, while the two-time defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, sit at +156 moneyline odds with a total of 6.0 goals on BetOnline Sportsbook.  

The Bolts are in dire straits                          

The Tampa Bay Lightning put an end to their eight-game winning streak at home last Wednesday. They blew a one-goal advantage twice and suffered a 3-2 overtime defeat in Game 4 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. 

The Bolts failed to replicate their performance from a 7-0 victory in Game 3. Their big guns were quiet even though the Lightning outshot the Avalanche 39-37. Anthony Cirelli gave Tampa a 1-0 lead after just 36 seconds of play in the first period, while Victor Hedman made it a 2-1 game midway through the second. 

Nikita Kucherov extended his goalless streak to six games. Brayden Point has missed the previous two games due to a lower-body injury and should remain on the shelf for Friday’s clash in Colorado. Andrei Vasilevsky yielded three goals on 37 shots in Game 4 (.919 SV%), falling to 13-8 with a 2.57 GAA and .920 save percentage in the 2022 NHL Playoffs. 

The Avs ground their way through Game 4                        

Just when I taught Darcy Kuemper is the Colorado Avalanche’s biggest problem, the 32-year-old netminder posted 37 saves in Game 4 to lift his team over the Lightning. Kuemper was pulled in a heavy 6-2 defeat in Game 3 this past Monday after allowing five goals on 22 shots. Now, he’s 9-3 with a 2.66 GAA and an underwhelming .898 save percentage in the 2022 Stanley Cup. 

Nazem Kadri returned from his three-week absence caused by a thumb injury last Wednesday and scored the winning goal after 12:02 of play in overtime. The Lightning were fuming following Kadri’s goal, claiming it should have not been allowed because the Avalanche had too many men on the ice. 

Nathan MacKinnon converted a power-play opportunity for Colorado to tie Game 4 at 1-1, while Andrew Cogliano scored early in the third period to make it 2-2. The Avs had 12 hits more than the Bolts on the night (41-29). 

Trends:

Tampa Bay: 

  • 1-5 in the last six games against Colorado 
  • 1-4 in the last five games on the road 

Colorado:

  • 8-1 in the last nine games overall 
  • 4-1 in the last five games at home 

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Colorado Avalanche Pick 

I’m going with the Avs to get the job done after getting burned on the Lightning in Game 4. The Bolts will be fired up to get revenge, but they haven’t been a better team than Colorado throughout this series. Andrei Vasilevskiy is arguably a better goalie than Darcy Kuemper and Tampa’s last chance to stay alive. 

Nikita Kucherov is playing through a lower-body injury, whereas Nathan MacKinnon seems to have enough fuel in his tank. Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar have combined for 11 assists in the previous four games, so the Avs should have enough firepower to seal the championship. 

Pick: Take Colorado Avalanche at -173              

The Total:

After a push at six goals in the opener and a couple of overs in Games 2 and 3, the previous clash went under a six-goal line. The totals are a tricky wager in this matchup, especially with the line at exactly six goals. Both teams have plenty of top-notch forwards, but it’s tough to score on Andrei Vasilevskiy and Darcy Kuemper. 

The Avalanche love to play at a high tempo, and that’s the reason why I lean toward the over. They’ve scored ten goals in the regulation through the first two home games in this series.  

Pick: Go over 6.0 goals at +105