2022 Stanley Cup Final predictions
DENVER (BVM) — Lord Stanley’s trophy is one of the most recognizable trophies in sports. And on June 15, the final two teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs will fight to raise this coveted prize.
For Tampa Bay, this is its third straight season in the Final. As for Colorado, it’s the city’s first time playing for the Cup since 2001.
It will be an exciting time for fans of both cities. Here is our prediction for the Stanley Cup Final.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
During the 2021-22 NHL season, the Avalanche only faced the Lightning twice. Both of those games were won by the Avalanche. Gabriel Landeskog had three points (two goals, one assist), and forward Nathan MacKinnon (two assists, one goal) also had three points in another game.
In those two games, Colorado starting goalie Darcy Kuemper finished with an overall record of 2-0, a 2.40 goals against average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage.
However, those games were played during the beginning of the season. Every team in the Stanley Cup playoffs is different from how it started in October.
Who to watch
For Colorado, there is more than one player to watch. But star forward Nathan MacKinnon will be in the spotlight. He has 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) in the team’s 14 playoff games. He also helped the Avalanche power play continue to succeed (7th best during the regular season) with a power-play percentage of 31.1. Also, watch how he takes over the game with his speed and puck handling. It will be a difference-maker as he can get by any defender.
On Tampa Bay, there’s another player that can have an impact just as significant as MacKinnon. That’s Nikita Kucherov. He’s leading the Lightning with 23 total points (16 assists, seven goals). In 2020, he set a career-high with 34 points (27 assists, seven goals) in 25 playoff games.
X-factors
Cale Maker is also another name to watch in this series. But when he steps on the ice, he turns into one of the most important pieces on defense and offense. He has 22 points (17 assists, five goals) in just 14 playoff games. His best performance came when the Avalanche eliminated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4. He went on to have five points (four assists, one goal). He was the first defenseman in NHL history to have five points in a series-clinching game.
In this three-year stretch, Andrei Vasilevskiy has proved to be one of, if not the best, goalie in the NHL. But during this playoff run, we haven’t seen Vasilevskiy at his best compared to the last two. He is 12-5 with a 2.27 GAA and a save percentage of .928.
However, he can still impact the outcome of any game he’s in. Look at the last three games of the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers. Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay defense held New York to one goal in each of the last three games.
Either way, if someone looks at it, it will be a tough series. But there’s only one team that can raise the Stanley Cup.
Avalanche in seven.
