Stanley Cup Final Game 1 - Betting tips for Tampa Bay Lightning-Colorado Avalanche

On Wednesday night, the puck will drop on the 2022 Stanley Cup Final between the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche and the Eastern champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are looking to win their third straight championship. This will be a star-studded affair, featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and others.

The crew from Daily Wager and ESPN Chalk are here to look ahead at the series as well as present their top picks for Game 1.

To catch all of the action, tune into ABC and ESPN+, where you can find every game of the series. Set your reminders to 8 ET for the first contest from a packed Ball Arena in Denver.

Anita Marks, ESPN Sports Betting Analyst: Yes. The Lightning have the best goaltender on the planet in Andrei Vasilevskiy, but the Avalanche are the better team. Tampa Bay struggles against high-powered offenses, but Colorado presents a different challenge because its players are so physical. I don't believe Vasilevskiy will be able to stop Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, who help the Avalanche average close to five goals per game.

Joe Fortenbaugh, ESPN Sports Betting Analyst: Tampa Bay's series price of +155 implies a 39% chance of winning. Really? How many of you agree that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions — who boast one of the sport's elite goaltenders — have just a 39% chance of hoisting the Cup once again? Tampa Bay's path to the Final featured three opponents that recorded 110 or more points during the regular season (Maple Leafs, Panthers, Rangers). Conversely, Colorado's path included three opponents that recorded 109 or fewer points during the regular season, not to mention shaky goaltending options in Connor Ingram (Nashville), Ville Husso (St.