Stanley Cup Final: Betting Lines, Odds & Picks for Lightning-Avalanche Game 3
Betting odds and trends to know for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final
Matthew Horner - Jun 20, 2022, 1:40pm EDTBetting Lines, Odds & Picks for Lightning-Avalanche Game 3
Monday's NHL trends are collected and ready to go for the Stanley Cup Final. Let's take a look at what you should know before betting on Lightning-Avalanche Game 3.
One trend to note is that the BetQL NHL model has gone 90-55 (62%) on all NHL picks in the past 30 days for a total return of $1,582 on $100 bets, so you'll definitely want to know who the model is backing.
The Colorado Avalanche have gotten out to a dominant 2-0 start in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, destroying the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 with a final score of 7-0 and outscoring them 11-3 in the first two games. Colorado has been fantastic at home this postseason, so it isn't that much of a shock to see them out to a great start, but now the series will turn to Tampa Bay. The defending champions are no strangers to being in this position, as they were down 2-0 to the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final before rattling off four straight wins to take the series. But perhaps the Avalanche are just too much for the Lightning to handle with their impressive skill talent and speed. Let's see how they stack up through the first few games.
Colorado took no prisoners to start this series, outshooting Tampa Bay by an insane 68-39 margin in two games. They’ve controlled more than 61% of the scoring chances at 5-on-5 play and nearly 73% of expected goals so far. They’re 3-for-7 on the power play and a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill. In every way imaginable, they have beaten the Lightning down. They have been doing all of this without Nazem Kadri, who has been a key part of this playoff run for the Avalanche. He traveled with the team, but recently had hand surgery, and it is unknown whether or not he will be able to play in this series at all. Even without him, this is as deep and talented of a roster as we have seen. They are getting contributions from all four lines with balanced scoring and puck control, not having to rely on a single line or certain players too much. That was the difference between this team and the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, who lacked the depth and instead relied too much on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to do all the work.
Tampa has now lost back-to-back road games to start a series twice in a row, which puts them in a tight spot. If they want to win their third straight Stanley Cup, they will need to win four out of their next five games against the most talented team in hockey. The good news is that the Lightning tend to play significantly better at home than they do on the road. Tampa Bay is 7-1 on home ice in these playoffs, with the only loss coming in Game 3 of Round 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since then, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has allowed just five goals in his past five starts at home. ln order for the Lightning to win the Cup again, Vasilevskiy needs to play at the top of his game. The problem is that the team in front of him isn't playing as well, either. That makes his job that much more difficult, and with how many odd-man rushes the Avalanche have had, almost impossible. Something to also consider: the thin air in Denver really puts a beating on opposing teams coming in, and they lose their stamina much faster since they are not adjusted to it. That won't be an issue in Florida.
The Avalanche are 14-2 in these playoffs, absolutely crushing the competition on their way here. The destruction of the Lightning in Game 2 was par for the course, and perhaps just another reason to think they are destined to win the Cup. Tampa Bay has played more hockey games than any other team by far over the past three years, and fatigue may finally be catching up to them. But this is a very resilient group of players and a very proud organization after what they have accomplished over the last three years. They may finally falter after winning 11 straight playoff series, but you can be sure they won't go down without a fight. I expect them to play better in front of their home fans, and take Game 3 to make this a series again.
