And here we go. The Stanley Cup Final kicks off tonight with Game 1 between the Avalanche and Lightning in Denver.
It’s two clubs that entered the season as the top two favorites to win the 2022 Stanley Cup and now, months later, the two will battle for the right to raise hockey’s most coveted trophy.
After finishing as the top team in West, Colorado is aiming to win the franchise’s first championship since 2001, when current general manager Joe Sakic was still captaining the team. The Avs have rolled through the playoffs up to this point, sweeping the Predators in the first round, getting by the Blues in six games in the second and handling the Oilers with ease in four games in the conference finals.
MORE: Watch the NHL playoffs on fuboTV (get access now)
Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon have been men on a mission. The 23-year-old Makar is leading the team in points with 22 in 14 games, putting up a point-per-game rate that is currently among the likes of Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey for a single postseason by a defenseman. MacKinnon’s 11 goals are only second to Oilers’ Evander Kane and he could very well lead the postseason in that category after all is said and done.
In the Avs’ way are the back-to-back champions. The Lightning enter the finals for the third consecutive season, looking to solidify their spot in history as one of the greatest NHL dynasties. After winning the Cup in 2020 and 2021, Tampa Bay can become the first team since the Islanders in the ’80s to win three Cups in a row.
The Lightning were pushed to seven games by the Maple Leafs in the first round, but were able to prevail. They stunned the Panthers in the second round by sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy winners, and then defeated the Rangers in six games in the conference finals.
Nikita Kucherov sits in a tie for the fourth-most points in this postseason with 23 in 17 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to be the best goaltender in the league, sporting a 2.27 goals against average and a .928 save percentage.
SCF PREVIEW, PREDICTION: Lightning vs. Avalanche
The Sporting News will provide live updates and highlights from Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Avalanche vs. Lightning score
| Game 1 | P1 | P2 | P3 | F |
| Lightning | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avalanche | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Avalanche vs. Lightning live updates, highlights from 2022 Stanley Cup Final
Pregame
6:35 p.m.: Big news for the Lightning as Brayden Point is confirmed to be in. The forward hasn’t played since Game 7 of the first round when he left the contest with a right leg injury. However, the team is still waiting on the status of Brandon Hagel, who has been dealing with an illness.
Jon Cooper said Brayden Point is IN for Game 1. Waiting on Hagel.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) June 15, 2022
Sounds like Brandon Hagel is dealing with more like flu-type symptoms, not any lingering injury. Jon Cooper said this morning they didn’t know yet if he’d be able to play in Game 1. Hagel did participate in optional skate this morning. So we’ll see.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) June 15, 2022
6:30 p.m.: The Avalanche will have their starting goaltender back. Darcy Kuemper is expected to be back in the crease for Colorado. He was injured during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final and did not play in Games 2, 3 or 4 against the Oilers.
Darcy Kuemper is in the net usually used by starters. I’d expect him to start Game 1 of the #StanleyCup.
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 15, 2022
How to watch the 2022 Stanley Cup Final
- Date: Wednesday, June 15
- TV channels: ABC (U.S.) | Sportsnet (Canada)
- Live streaming: fuboTV | ESPN+ (U.S.) | SN Now (Canada)
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Avalanche and the Lightning will be broadcast on ABC in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada.
The game can be live streamed on ESPN+ or fuboTV in the United States, and SN Now in Canada.
Avalanche vs. Lightning start time Game 1
- Date: Wednesday, June 15
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay and Colorado go head-to-head in Game 1 on Wednesday, June 15. Puck drop will be shortly after 8 p.m. ET at Ball Arena in Denver, Col.
Stanley Cup Final schedule 2022
| Date | Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | National TV |
| Wed., June 15 | Game 1 | Lightning at Avalanche | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Sat., June 18 | Game 2 | Lightning at Avalanche | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Mon., June 20 | Game 3 | Avalanche at Lightning | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Wed., June 22 | Game 4 | Avalanche at Lightning | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Fri., June 24 | Game 5* | Lightning at Avalanche | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Sun., June 26 | Game 6* | Avalanche at Lightning | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| Tue., June 28 | Game 7* | Lightning at Avalanche | 8 p.m. | ABC |
*If necessary
