We have loved the action throughout the impressive NHL playoffs for the 2021-22 season, and now we are down to two teams. This is sure to go down as one of the most exciting Stanley Cup Finals series as we see the Avalanche and Lightning fight for the right to lift the Stanley Cup. Will the Lightning manage to three-peat, or will we see the Avalanche win for the first time in over 20 years?
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Look below to find our free NHL picks for the fifth game of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Avalanche and Lightning.
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Colorado Avalanche – 8.00pm ET
The Colorado Avalanche have their first chance to win the Stanley Cup tonight, after they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead. It was a heartbreaking loss in front of their home crowd for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who will have to do something they haven’t done all series tonight, which is to win on the road.
Marko Nadin
The Colorado Avalanche have been the best team this season and they are only one win away from being crowned as the new NHL champions. The Avalanche are up 3-1 in the Stanley Cup series against the defending champions Tampa Bay Lightning after a 3-2 overtime win in Game 4, which pretty much decided this series. The Lightning are back-to-back champions and should not be signed off early, but they will need to perform a miracle to get back in this series. The last time these two teams played in Denver, the Avalanche won 7-0 which clearly states who is the favorite tonight. Colorado will play their best hockey at Ball Center and that will lead them to their first Stanley Cup since 2001.
Colorado has won 41 of the last 59 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game, 44 of the last 58 games following a win and 36 of the last 51 playoff games as favorites. Tampa Bay has won 4 of the last 5 games as underdogs, 91 of the last 117 games after scoring 2 or less goals in the previous game and have lost 4 of the last 5 road games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-176)
Tony Battalio
The Tampa Bay Lightning are one loss away from losing the Stanley Cup for the first time in two years. They have looked absolutely overmatched in this series as they now find themselves down 1-3. The Lightning have been out scored in this series and have now lost two games in overtime. If they don’t figure out a way to clean up on the defensive end in this one their season and bid for a three peat is likely going to end here on Friday night.
The Colorado Avalanche are closing in on their first Stanley Cup Finals in over two decades. They have come up short over the last few seasons and this is finally the time that everything has come together and get the trophy they chased with their current core led by MacKinnon, Ratanen, and Kadri. However, I don’t think it will happen quite yet as I look for the Tampa Bay Lightning to pick up the victory and extend the series by another game.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (+146)
Jeffery Thomas
The Tampa Bay Lightning entered this series looking to become the first team in almost 40 years to three-peat as Stanley Cup Champions but now to accomplish that feat they will need to win the final three games of this series after going down 1-3. The Colorado Avalanche stole Game 4 on the road in overtime to put themselves just one win away from their franchise’s first Cup since the 2001 season.
The biggest thing holding back the Lightning in this series is their special teams play, which has been awful. Their power play is just 1-14 while the penalty kill has allowed 6 goals in 13 attempts. They just look outmatched in this series and it appears it is just Colorado’s season this year, and that will all come true on Friday night when they are crowned the champions on their home ice.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-176)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
