Lightning vs. Avalanche Game 1: Top Stanley Cup Finals Parlay Odds & Picks (6/15)
The Stanley Cup finals are set and the Colorado Avalanche will try to prevent the Tampa Bay Light from becoming the first team in 35 years to lift Lord Stanley three years in a row.
After coming so close to getting into the Western Conference Finals over the last few years, the Avalanche have made it over that hump and onto the final series. There is a ton of talent on the top line, but the entire roster has been contributing throughout the playoffs. If they can continue their offensive prowess, they could dethrone the champs.
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Lightning vs. Avalanche Game 1: Top Stanley Cup Finals Parlay Odds & Picks
Tampa Bay Lightning (+126) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-152) O/U 6
(Puck Drop 8:10 p.m. ET)
After a long time off between the semis and the Eastern Conference Finals, the Lightning lost both Game 1 & 2 at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers. But that was it as they went on to win four straight.
The X-factor of those games was Bolts’ goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy who allowed nine goals and a .855 save percentage in the first two games, then five goals and a .955 save percentage in the next four. The reigning Conn Smythe winner knows what’s expected, and his veteran presence is going to be big against the Avalanche that has not been in this position in 21 years.
This isn’t some average offense that Colorado will be bringing. They’re the leading scorers in the playoffs (4.64 GAA), and second in power-play rate (31.1%), but they have consistently been a good offense all season as they were fourth in goals per game (3.76) and seventh in power plays (24.0). Nathan MacKinnon is one of the stars of this team who has really come through with a team-leading 11 goals in the playoffs, but they’ve been getting contributors on every shift as nine players have at least five goals in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Vasilevskiy laughs if you think he has any fear because it’s not the best offensive competition he’s faced during the playoffs. He went against two of the top regular-season offenses (Florida 1st, Toronto 2nd) and those two, along with New York, are in the top five in power-play rate.
That’s the main narrative of this series — which will fail: Vas or the Avs’ offense? You have to give the advantage to the Tampa goalie.
Darcy Kuemper will be in the other net for Colorado for the first time after leaving Game 1 with an upper-body injury. Even during the playoffs, he hasn’t played well with a .897 save percentage and -5.87 goals saved above expected. He hasn’t needed to be a brick wall with how easily his offense has scored, but he’ll need to step up because the goals might not come as often for Colorado here.
Another question will be rest vs. rust for the Avalanche. It only took Colorado five games to win the WCF and they’ll come into this game with 10 days off while the Lightning had just three. We saw what the rest did to Tampa Bay as they came out sluggish in the ECF before getting it together to win the final four. A team with no Stanley Cup experience that has to turn on that game mode like a light after being dormant will be tough.
It’s very hard not to take the Bolts in Game 1. Depending on how Colorado responds in Game 2, this could be a quick series.
Leg 1: Lightning ML (+135)
As mentioned, the Avalanche is a really good offense that has kept the train going throughout the playoffs. For Colorado, it’s been an easier path as they’ve primarily faced backup goalies in each round and results showed they’ve handled them easily. Andrei Vasilevskiy is certainly not a backup goalie and is hands above the best in the game right now. Vasilevskiy has been shutting down great offenses throughout the playoffs and should have no problem again in Game 1.
Leg 2: Under 6.5 (-130)
Vasilevskiy won’t be perfect as the Tampa Bay blue line has not played too well, so expect the Avs to get into the Bolt’s zone in this game. MacKinnon has really turned it on since the hat trick in Game 5 of the Western semis with a goal in four of the next six games. He also has a goal in two of three Game 1s this year, and you can put another on the board.
Leg 3: Nathan MacKinnon Anytime Goal (+165)
Total Parlay Odds on DraftKings +700
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