After an overtime win in Game 4, the Colorado Avalanche can put a bow on the 2021-22 NHL season in Friday’s Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Colorado squeaked out a 3-2 overtime win on Tampa Bay’s home ice on Wednesday. In his first game back from a broken finger, Nazem Kadri delivered the game-winner in OT to give the Avs a 3-1 lead in the series.
Can Colorado finish the job and secure its first Cup since 2001?
Let’s take a look at the betting information at WynnBET’s online sportsbook and try to project what will transpire on the ice. All information as of Friday morning.
Betting Odds
Puck line: Tampa Bay +1.5 (-175)/Colorado -1.5 (+145)
Moneyline: Lightning +160/Avalanche -180
Total: 6 (Under -120)
Betting Splits
Puck Line
94.2% of tickets on Colorado
99.6% of money on Colorado
Moneyline
69.4% of tickets on Colorado
84.2% of money on Colorado
Total
75.9% of tickets on Over
85.4% of money on Over
Injury Report
Colorado
Andre Burakovksy — Day-to-day (Hand)
Samuel Girard — Out
Tampa Bay
Erik Cernak — Day-to-day (Lower body)
One Trend To Know
The current total for Game 5 is six goals, with the under juiced to -120. Wednesday’s 3-2 victory by Colorado marked the first time all series that the total didn’t go over, which probably explains why early action is on the over ahead of Friday.
Each of the first three games of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final went over the total, starting with Colorado’s 4-3 victory in Game 1. This includes Game 2, when the Lightning didn’t even score in a 7-0 loss to the Avalanche. Tampa Bay then did its part in a 6-2 victory in Game 3.
How many goals are in store for Friday’s Game 5?
Prediction
Other than a horrible Game 2 prediction, I’ve nailed every game of this series thus far. I’ve also been on Colorado to wrap this thing up in five games for a bit now, and this franchise has a chance to do just that in front of its loyal fans.
Compare Friday’s betting odds to the last time these two teams met in Colorado and you will see that the oddsmakers believe that will happen. The Avalanche were a -155 favorite on the moneyline in Game 2, but are priced at -170 to win this upcoming matchup.
You can never quite count out the defending champs. Tampa Bay was down 3-2 to the Toronto Maples Leafs in the first round and faced a 0-2 deficit in the conference finals round. But winning three consecutive games while facing elimination is another thing.
Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Cup Final are 35-1 (.972) winning the series. I believe the Avs finish the job on Friday, and will hoist up the Cup for the first time since 2001.
Prediction: Colorado 4, Tampa Bay 2
