The Colorado Avalanche have three cracks at winning the Stanley Cup as they now lead the Tampa Bay Lightning three games to one in the Stanley Cup Final following a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 on Wednesday.  The series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 on Friday.

Colorado is a -178 favourite to win Game 5, while the total is set at 6.0 on the NHL odds.

Lightning vs. Avalanche NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

The Avalanche have to be feeling good heading into Game 5 as they’ve won five of six meetings against Tampa Bay this year, regular season and playoffs combined, including Games 1 and 2 of the Final at home.  It’s been a tight head-to-head, with four of six games being decided by a single goal.  The total has gone Over in seven of the last nine meetings between the teams.

The Lightning need to win twice in Colorado to win this series.  That is concerning given the fact they’ve dropped four of their last five road games in these playoffs.  The total went Under in Game 4 for the first time in this series.  Don’t bank on that continuing, however, as the total has gone Over in four of Tampa Bay’s last six games in Denver.  They’ve also hit the Over in six of their last seven games against Western Conference opponents.

Colorado has been tough to contain, winning eight of their last nine games overall and four of their last five at home.  The Avalanche’s high-flying offence is averaging 5.4 goals per game across their last five contests and they’ve hit the Over in four of those games.

Colorado enters Game 5 as a massive -1667 favourite to win the series after opening Game 1 at -200.  The Lighting are +684 series underdogs after opening Game 1 at +147.  Oddsmakers are calling for this series to end in five games at -172.  The biggest long shot is a Tampa Bay comeback in seven games at +771.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning got on the board early in Game 4, with Anthony Cirelli scoring 36 seconds into the game.  It was the first time Tampa Bay opened the scoring in this series.  They dominated the first period, outshooting the Avalanche 17-4.  After Colorado tied the game in the second period, Victor Hedman gave the Lightning the lead back, but that was the last of their offence in the game.

Andrei Vasilevskiy had another big game in net, stopping 34 of 37 shots, including nine of 10 in overtime.  Vasilevskiy had some of his biggest saves of the game in overtime, including stopping a Logan O’Connor breakaway.  Tampa Bay had won eight straight home games heading into Game 4.  Before Wednesday, their last loss at Amalie Arena came against Toronto in Game 3 of the opening round.

Brayden Point missed a second straight game on Wednesday with a lower-body injury.  Point, who missed the entire second and third rounds of the playoffs after suffering the injury in Game 7 of the first round, played Games 1 and 2 in Denver, but is likely now done for the series.

Colorado Avalanche

Two weeks ago Nazem Kadri was essentially ruled out of the remainder of the playoffs after undergoing surgery on his broken thumb.  On Wednesday he scored the overtime winner to put the Avalanche one game away from the Stanley Cup.  Kadri missed the previous four games after suffering the thumb injury in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final.  Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring in Game 4 and Andrew Cogliano‘s third period goal sent the game to overtime.  Colorado outshot the Lightning 10-3 in overtime.

After being pulled in Game 3, Darcy Kuemper bounced back in net with 37 saves in Game 4.  It’s tough to fault him for the game’s opening goal as a hard shot tore his mask off before Cirelli potted the puck in the empty net.  Kuemper actually picked up an assist on the game-winning goal, becoming the first goalie in NHL history to record a helper on an overtime goal the Stanley Cup Final.

Andre Burakovsky was originally going to travel with the team to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4, but ended up staying in Denver to get treatment for the hand injury he suffered in Game 2.  Burakovsky, who scored the OT winner in Game 1, is listed as questionable for Game 5.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Lightning vs. Avalanche?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Lightning Team Leaders

TB

Points	Steven Stamkos 106
+ / -	Victor Hedman 26
Shots	Steven Stamkos 241
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 134
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 39
GAA	Brian Elliott 2.43

COL

Points	Mikko Rantanen 92
+ / -	Devon Toews 52
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 299
Penalty Mins	Kurtis MacDermid 89
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 37
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.54

TB

Points	Nikita Kucherov 27
+ / -	Ondrej Palat 10
Shots	Nikita Kucherov 77
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 32
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 14
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 2.52

COL

Points	Cale Makar 29
+ / -	Bowen Byram 15
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 117
Penalty Mins	Artturi Lehkonen 20
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 10
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.57

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Avalanche Team Leaders

TB

Points	Steven Stamkos 106
+ / -	Victor Hedman 26
Shots	Steven Stamkos 241
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 134
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 39
GAA	Brian Elliott 2.43

COL

Points	Mikko Rantanen 92
+ / -	Devon Toews 52
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 299
Penalty Mins	Kurtis MacDermid 89
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 37
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.54

TB

Points	Nikita Kucherov 27
+ / -	Ondrej Palat 10
Shots	Nikita Kucherov 77
Penalty Mins	Pat Maroon 32
Wins	Andrei Vasilevskiy 14
GAA	Andrei Vasilevskiy 2.52

COL

Points	Cale Makar 29
+ / -	Bowen Byram 15
Shots	Nathan MacKinnon 117
Penalty Mins	Artturi Lehkonen 20
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 10
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.57

Injuries

Tampa Bay

Erik Cernak (D)

Prob Fri Lower Body - 23 / 06 / 22

Anthony Cirelli (C)

Prob Fri Arm - 23 / 06 / 22

Nicholas Paul (LW)

Prob Wed Undisclosed - 22 / 06 / 22

Nikita Kucherov (RW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 21 / 06 / 22

Brayden Point (C)

Ques Tues Leg - 20 / 06 / 22

Brandon Hagel (LW)

Ques Wed Flu - 15 / 06 / 22

Ryan McDonagh (D)

Prob Sat Undisclosed - 10 / 06 / 22

Corey Perry (RW)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 07 / 06 / 22

Brandon Hagel (LW)

Prob Wed Foot - 29 / 05 / 22

Brandon Hagel (LW)

Ques Sun Lower Body - 19 / 05 / 22

Colorado

Valeri Nichushkin (RW)

Ques Sun Lower Body - 26 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Ques Tues Hand - 19 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 12 / 06 / 22

Andrew Cogliano (C)

Prob Sat Hand - 07 / 06 / 22

Andre Burakovsky (LW)

Ques Mon Leg - 02 / 06 / 22

Darcy Kuemper (G)

Ques Mon Upper Body - 31 / 05 / 22

Gabriel Landeskog (LW)

Prob Tues Knee - 30 / 05 / 22

Samuel Girard (D)

out for season Chest - 21 / 05 / 22

Darcy Kuemper (G)

Prob Tues Eye - 07 / 05 / 22

Andrew Cogliano (C)

Prob Tues Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22

Injuries

Tampa Bay

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Erik Cernak (D)	Prob Fri	Lower Body - 23 / 06 / 22	1-1	0-2	+ -
Cernak is nursing a lower-body ailment, but it is projected that he will face the Avalanche in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Anthony Cirelli (C)	Prob Fri	Arm - 23 / 06 / 22	1-1	0-2	+ -
Cirelli is dealing with an arm injury, but it is anticipated that he will be available for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Avalanche.
Nicholas Paul (LW)	Prob Wed	Undisclosed - 22 / 06 / 22	2-1	1-2	+ -
Paul is managing an unspecified issue, but he is expected to lace up for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Avalanche.
Nikita Kucherov (RW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 21 / 06 / 22	2-1	1-2	+ -
Kucherov is nursing a lower-body injury, but it is anticipated that he will play against the Avalanche in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Brayden Point (C)	Ques Tues	Leg - 20 / 06 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Point is battling a right leg injury, and it is undetermined if he will dress for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Avalanche.
Brandon Hagel (LW)	Ques Wed	Flu - 15 / 06 / 22	3-3	3-3	+ -
Hagel is bothered by flu-like symptoms, and it is uncertain if he will lace up against the Avalanche in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Ryan McDonagh (D)	Prob Sat	Undisclosed - 10 / 06 / 22	4-3	3-4	+ -
McDonagh is tending to an unknown injury, but it is projected that he will be available for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Rangers.
Corey Perry (RW)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 07 / 06 / 22	5-4	3-6	+ -
Perry is managing an unknown issue, and it is unclear if he will face the Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Brandon Hagel (LW)	Prob Wed	Foot - 29 / 05 / 22	6-6	4-8	+ -
Hagel is dealing with a foot injury, but it is projected that he will be active against the Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Brandon Hagel (LW)	Ques Sun	Lower Body - 19 / 05 / 22	9-6	4-11	+ -
Hagel is dealing with a lower-body injury, and it is unclear if he will lace up against the Panthers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference second round.

Colorado

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Valeri Nichushkin (RW)	Ques Sun	Lower Body - 26 / 06 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Nichushkin is tending to a lower-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Lighting in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Ques Tues	Hand - 19 / 06 / 22	2-2	2-2	+ -
Burakovsky is dealing with a hand injury, and it is unknown if he will play in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Lightning.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 12 / 06 / 22	2-4	4-2	+ -
Burakovsky is battling a lower-back injury, but it is anticipated that he will lace up for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Lightning.
Andrew Cogliano (C)	Prob Sat	Hand - 07 / 06 / 22	2-4	4-2	+ -
Cogliano is managing a hand injury, but it is likely that he will participate in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final versus the Lightning.
Andre Burakovsky (LW)	Ques Mon	Leg - 02 / 06 / 22	5-4	5-4	+ -
Burakovsky is bothered by right leg injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will face the Oilers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
Darcy Kuemper (G)	Ques Mon	Upper Body - 31 / 05 / 22	5-5	5-5	+ -
Kuemper is tending to an upper-body injury, and it has yet to be established if he will suit up for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals versus the Oilers.
Gabriel Landeskog (LW)	Prob Tues	Knee - 30 / 05 / 22	5-5	5-5	+ -
Landeskog is expected to lace up for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals versus the Oilers despite a knee issue.
Samuel Girard (D)	out for season	Chest - 21 / 05 / 22	7-7	8-6	+ -
Girard suffered a fractured sternum and will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season.
Darcy Kuemper (G)	Prob Tues	Eye - 07 / 05 / 22	9-9	10-8	+ -
Kuemper is tending to a eye injury, but it is likely that he will be active for Game 1 of the Western Conference second round versus the Blues.
Andrew Cogliano (C)	Prob Tues	Upper Body - 04 / 05 / 22	10-10	11-9	+ -
Cogliano is managing an upper-body issue, but it is expected that he will be available against the Blues for Game 1 of the Western Conference second round versus the Blues.