Stanley Cup Final 2022 preview: Lightning look to make history with three-peat, Avalanche seek to end drought

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The Stanley Cup Final between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning begins Wednesday night as both teams are looking to hold the trophy.

The Avalanche have been off for a few days after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference final and the Lightning have a head of steam after beating the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference final.

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Both teams are coming into the Final on two different angles.

The Conn Smythe Trophy and the Stanley Cup are on display during the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final Media Day at Ball Arena on June 14, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Avalanche have some of the best young players in the NHL. Led by Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Maker, the Avalanche finished as the best team in the Western Conference with 119 points. MacKinnon is tied for second in the playoffs with 11 goals and Gabriel Landeskog has eight goals.

Colorado essentially breezed through the playoffs. The team swept the Nashville Predators in the first round and then defeated the St. Louis Blues in the conference semifinals 4-2. The Avalanche then swept the Edmonton Oilers.

It’s been a long time since the Avalanche have made the Final. Colorado hasn’t been in the Stanley Cup Final since 2001. The team, led by Bob Hartley, defeated the New Jersey Devils in seven games. Ray Bourque was finally able to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup. Patrick Roy maintained the net and Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg were putting pucks into the opposing teams’ nets.

The Avalanche don’t have the longest drought – that belongs to the Toronto Maple Leafs. But nearly two