8:15 pm
June 22

Avalanche @ Lightning

Who will WIN this matchup?

Colorado Avalanche (56-19-7)

@ Tampa Bay Lightning (51-23-8)

 

Starting Goalies:

Darcy Kuemper (COL): Confirmed

Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Colorado Avalanche: (-110)

Tampa Bay Lightning: (-110)

 

• The Tampa Bay Lightning took a huge step toward pulling themselves back into the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche after Monday’s Game 3 victory. Another big leap is needed when the Lightning host Wednesday’s Game 4 of the best-of-seven series, which the Avalanche now lead 2-1.

• Forward Nikita Kucherov will be in the lineup for Game 4, per Cooper. The team’s leading point scorer in the playoffs was injured late in Monday’s game when he was cross-checked in the back and fell awkwardly into the boards. Though Kucherov departed with just over six minutes remaining in Game 3, all signs are now positive for Tampa Bay. The Lightning responded from a 7-0 thrashing in Game 2 at Denver with a solid, start-to-finish performance Monday in their eighth consecutive home-ice victory.

• Now it’s the Avalanche’s turn to counter. Colorado, which had its seven-game overall winning streak and seven-game road winning streak snapped Monday, does have issues to address even if it is not yet time to panic. One concern is the goaltender situation. No. 1 netminder Darcy Kuemper was pulled last game after surrendering five goals. Kuemper likely will be in goal Wednesday, but coach Jared Bednar wouldn’t tip his hand on whether he might turn to Pavel Francouz instead.

• Bednar said forward Andre Burakovsky (upper body) remained in Denver, which would make him unlikely to play in Game 4. Center Nazem Kadri skated again on Tuesday in anticipation of returning from hand surgery.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Colorado Avalanche
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