The stage is set for the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals as the Tampa Bay Lightning, the reigning champions for two consecutive years, prepare to take on this season’s frontrunners, the Colorado Avalanche.
On Wednesday night, the seven-game series commenced, and all the matches were broadcasted on ABC.
Although Tampa has won the last two championships, Colorado is seen as a strong contender. The Avalanche have consistently impressed and have been ranked highly in the futures list at West Virginia sportsbooks throughout the season.
Although the odds may differ among various operators, the general agreement indicates that Colorado holds the advantage, with odds typically listed around -180.
Avalanche-Lightning Stanley Cup preview
Casual NHL fans will find this series highly enjoyable to watch, as it features an abundance of star power and goal-scoring prowess from both teams.
Despite being considered an underdog, it is challenging to confidently assert that the Lightning holds this position after winning the Eastern Conference for three consecutive years. This experienced team, which finished the season with only 110 points (tied for fourth place in the conference), managed to drastically improve their performance for the playoffs.
After facing a 3-2 series deficit against Toronto in the opening round, Tampa managed to overcome it and advance. The team then continued its winning streak in the subsequent round against the Panthers, sweeping their Florida rival.
The New York Rangers, who were on fire, managed to win both home games initially, but Tampa turned the tables by securing four consecutive victories and advancing. They have an impressive record of 10-2 in their last 12 games overall.
Colorado positioned itself for a more favorable path to the finals by having an exceptional regular season. The team achieved victory in the Central Division, earning a remarkable 119 points, narrowly missing out on claiming the prestigious Presidents’ Trophy.
After sweeping Nashville in their first series, the Avs continued their winning streak by defeating St. Louis. However, it was the Blues who proved to be their most challenging adversary as they managed to secure victories in Game 2 and Game 5, consequently pushing the series to a sixth and deciding match.
Despite the high expectations surrounding the series, Colorado emerged triumphant in yet another sweep against Edmonton. Fans of hockey were only treated to four games featuring the face-off between the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon.
I hope that this upcoming series brings more exciting matches and chances for some amazing plays.
Stanley Cup odds at WV sportsbooks
Tampa and Colorado faced off twice in the regular season, with the Avs emerging victorious on both occasions. Nevertheless, each match proved to be a closely contested battle.
In October, Colorado emerged victorious over their opponent with a final score of 4-3. The winning moment came from the skilled defenseman Cale Makar, who sealed the deal in the sixth round of the shootout.
In February, the Avs emerged victorious once more, this time securing their win on their own turf. With a scoreless third period, they triumphed 3-2.
The West champions are receiving recognition for their impressive season at WV sportsbooks. At DraftKings WV Sportsbook, the Avs have odds of -175 to win the series, while the Lightning’s odds stand at +150.
The odds for the first game on Wednesday night appear to be quite similar. The online sportsbook displays Colorado as the favorite with odds of -155 when playing at home, while Tampa’s odds are +135.
The puck line (-1.5) is being favored by the Avs at +160, while Tampa is receiving the spread at -190.
There have been six goals scored in the game so far. The odds favor the total number of goals being higher, with a -120 for the over bet, while the under bet is at even money (+100).
In addition, there are numerous alternative methods to place bets on the Stanley Cup Finals. Each individual game offers a diverse selection of prop and parlay choices, as well as various other markets for the series.
You don’t have to act only now, as many of these are regularly updated.
DraftKings offers a range of choices, such as the series spread, total games, and the precise outcome of the series.
Betting on the Conn Smythe Trophy with BetMGM
Every year, the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the playoffs. Typically, the recipient comes from the team that emerges victorious. However, there have been five instances where a player from the losing team has managed to secure this honor. Unfortunately, the last time this occurred was in 2003.
After his magical postseason run came up short against the New Jersey Devils in seven games, Jean-Sebastien Giguere of Anaheim emerged as the winner that year.
In the past two seasons, the Lightning have seen the outstanding performances of defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. These two players have become integral parts of the Tampa squad and are widely regarded as top contenders to win the trophy once more.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook WV, Vasilevskiy is currently tied as the leading contender on his team. However, he falls behind two Colorado players, MacKinnon (+200) and Makar (+175), in the rankings.
In addition to their goaltender, Tampa has a couple of players worthy of consideration for the MVP discussion ahead of the series. Forwards Nikita Kucherov (+400) and Steven Stamkos (+1400) follow closely, while Hedman falls into the next category at +2000.
The Avs’ Mikko Rantanen (+1600) and Gabriel Landeskog (+2000) are the only other individuals included in those odds.
The outcome of this series will heavily depend on whether Colorado’s offense can maintain its momentum or if Vasilevskiy can consistently make crucial saves. Although Tampa Bay has the potential to score, their offense will struggle to keep pace with the Avalanche if Vasilevskiy is not at his best.
Don’t worry about losing your bet if the game goes into overtime during the Stanley Cup Finals. BetMGM has your back with their Overtime Insurance promotion, which refunds up to $25 of your initial wager if your moneyline pick loses in OT. So, even if the series is filled with close games, bettors can still enjoy some peace of mind.
Every game of the Stanley Cup is eligible for this offer. In the event that your team loses in overtime, BetMGM will reimburse your account with your initial bet amount in the form of a free bet.
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