Projected Lineup (subject to change)
Forwards
Ondrej Palat - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Alex Killorn
Ross Colton - Nick Paul - Corey Perry
Patrick Maroon - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Riley Nash
Defensemen
Victor Hedman - Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev - Zach Bogosian
Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brian Elliott
Wednesday's Matchup
The Lightning and Avalanche are playing Game 1 of their best-of-seven 2022 Stanley Cup Final...Tampa Bay and Colorado have never met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the two rank first and third, respectively, in regular-season wins over the past four seasons (TBL has 192, COL has 175)...The Avalanche/Nordiques hold an all-time series record of 13-9 when facing off against an opponent for the first time in a best-of-seven while the Lightning are 11-6 in the same scenario...This will mark the first time Tampa Bay faces the No. 1-ranked team from the opposing conference in a Stanley Cup Final...Tampa Bay went 0-1-1 against Colorado in the 2021-22 regular season, the Lightning falling 4-3 in a shootout Oct. 23 at AMALIE Arena and 3-2 at Ball Arena Feb. 10...Steven Stamkos is Tampa Bay's all-time scoring leader versus Colorado with 8-7--15 pts. in 19 reg. season contests...The Lightning are 15-20 all-time in Game 1s, including a 7-8 mark in road Game 1s... The Bolts are 1-3 in Stanley Cup Final Game 1s.
Wednesday's Storylines
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning are the first team to play in three-straight Stanley Cup Finals since the Edmonton Oilers went to three in a row from 1983-85...The Lightning are attempting to become the first team to win three-consecutive Stanley Cups since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83 and the fourth franchise all-time in the NHL to do so, joining NYI, MTL and TOR...The Bolts are in the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth time in Jon Cooper's nine full seasons as head coach and the fifth time total in franchise history (also: 2004, 2015, 2020 and 2021)...Tampa Bay's five Stanley Cup Final appearances are by far the most among clubs to join the NHL since the 1990s; only three non-Original Six franchises have more appearances in the championship series: the Flyers (8x), Oilers (7x) and Penguins (6x)...The Lightning have won 11- consecutive playoff series dating back to the 2020 First Round and are the third franchise to win 11 or more playoff series in a row, joining the NY Islanders (19 from 1980-84) and Montreal Canadiens (13 from 1976-80).
Injuries
2021-22 Reg. Season Man Games Lost: 185
2022 Playoff Man Games Lost: 10
Current injuries
Brayden Point (Lower-body injury May 14) 10 Games
Tampa Bay Sports Item of the Game
Stanley Cup Final Locker Room Hoodie & Tech Tee
Gear up for the Stanley Cup Final like a Lightning player with the official Locker Room Hoodie and Tech Tee. Available in store and online at TampaBaySports.com while supplies last.
The Road Ahead
Game 2: Lightning at Avalanche, Saturday, June 18
Game 3: Lightning vs. Avalanche, Monday, June 20
Game 4: Lightning vs. Avalanche, Wednesday, June 22
Game 5: Lightning at Avalanche, Friday, June 24 (if necessary)
Game 6: Lightning vs. Avalanche, Sunday, June 26 (if necessary)
Game 7: Lightning at Avalanche, Tuesday, June 28 (if necessary)
