The Colorado Avalanche wrap up their season-long six-game road trip on the East Coast with a visit to Florida once again. Tonight’s matchup is against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena.
This 2022 Stanley Cup Final rematch is an intriguing one. Not only because of the rematch, but we get to see two of the league’s best go up against one another in their bids for the Hart Trophy: Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov.
Colorado Avalanche (33-17-4)
The Avs have had it rough on this road trip, losing their opening four games in the stretch. But, they finally came out victorious Tuesday night in the nation’s capital in a 6-3 final over the Washington Capitals.
Artturi Lehkonen had one of his best games in an Avalanche jersey, recording four points. He got plenty of help from Ross Colton in the center of his line, who returns to Tampa for the first time since leaving this summer.
The team did it without Logan O’Connor, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and not playing again tonight. With Justus Annunen perhaps surprisingly getting another look in the net, can the Avs end a disappointing road trip on a high?
Projected Lines
Jonathan Drouin (27) – Nathan MacKinnon (29) – Mikko Rantanen (96)
Artturi Lehkonen (62) – Ross Colton (20) – Miles Wood (28)
Joel Kiviranta (94) – Frederik Olofsson (22) – Zach Parise (9)
Andrew Cogliano (11) – Ryan Johansen (12) – Kurtis MacDermid (56)
Devon Toews (7) – Cale Makar (8)
Sam Girard (49) – Josh Manson (42)
Jack Johnson (3) – Bowen Byram (4)
Justus Annunen (60)
Tampa Bay Lightning (29-20-5)
Tampa Bay comes into this game off a close, but important 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins in the shootout Tuesday night. It’s all a part of a great stretch of hockey for the team, winning seven of their last 10 games, including the previous two.
Every game is important for them, just as it is for the Avs. Tampa is not the same juggernaut of the Eastern Conference they once were, in the thick of the playoff battle in the Atlantic Division, just one point ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the division.
Of course, all eyes will be on the aforementioned Kucherov and MacKinnon battle on the ice. The two top point scorers in the league will be keen on jumping ahead of the other and gaining votes en route to the league MVP title. In their newly-debuted third jerseys tonight, will Kucherov lead the Lightning to their third straight win?
Projected Lines
Steven Stamkos (91) – Brayden Point (21) – Nikita Kucherov (86)
Brandon Hagel (38) – Anthony Cirelli (71) – Nick Paul (20)
Michael Eyssimont (23) – Tyler Motte (64) – Connor Sheary (73)
Alex Barre-Boulet (12) – Luke Glendening (11) – Mitchell Chaffee (41)
Victor Hedman (77) – Darren Raddysh (43)
Haydn Fleury (7) – Erik Cernak (81)
Emil Martinsen-Lilleberg (78) – Nick Perbix (48)
Andrei Vasilevskiy (88)
Broadcast Details
Time: 5:00 p.m. MT
Watch: Altitude, BSSUN, ESPN+ (Out of Market Only)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio FM 92.5
Opponent’s Beat: Raw Charge