TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 22: Nazem Kadri #91 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning to win 3-2 overtime in Game Four of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 22, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Stanley Cup Finals 2022 has an interesting Game 5 and here is the preview for the same
The Colorado Avalanche are just one game away from winning their first Stanley Cup since 2001 thanks to a big goal in their previous game. Many top sites such as Betway have posted their odds for the NHL finals, and it seems that one team has an edge over the other given the current situation with the Avalanche favourites at 1.51 and the Lightning the underdogs at 2.6.
The Avalanche came into game four with a 2-1 lead. They were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 in their previous outing, but that didn’t matter much for them.
Nazem Kadri scored an overtime goal to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead going into game 5. There was some controversy regarding this goal as the Lightning believed that the Avalanche had too many men on the ice and the goal should never have stood.
Nevertheless, the two-time defending champions now face elimination from the Stanley Cup and need to beat the Avalanche to keep their slim hopes alive of a three-peat.
However, that is easier said than done since it will be a home advantage for the Avalanche on Friday.
Kadri is one of the names that have to be part of this. He missed out on the first three games of the finals but came back with a huge goal for the Avalanche in game four.
That took the Avalanche to within one win of the trophy and they have had some other big performers too.
Cale Makar has been excellent for the Avalanche with 27 points, despite playing in the defence. Victor Hedman has done a decent job for the Lightning too with 18 points from the defence.
Andrei Vasilevskiy still has a better save percentage than Darcy Kuemper, but the Lightning have conceded 16 goals in four games which includes seven goals in the second game.
Mikko Rantanen is having an exceptional season so far after leading the Avalanche with 92 points and has continued getting assists in the finals.
The 25-year-old is starring in his first finals, and he could be the one helping the Avalanche to a first NHL title in 20 years.
The Lightning have been a little unlucky in two games. They have lost the first and the fourth games in overtime, so maybe, they just need that extra bit to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.
The Avalanche came into this series as favourites and have performed to that level. They don’t have the finals experience that the two-time defending champions, the Lightning, might have but that hasn’t stopped them from getting the important wins.
The Avalanche have a huge advantage in game five since it is being held in Colorado. The Avalanche have been the better team coming into the playoffs, they have shown it throughout the playoffs, and they should win game 5 and the Stanley Cup.
This would be the third title for the Avalanche, and they just might finish off the Lightning in style.