Tampa Bay Lightning at Colorado Avalanche predictions & free NHL betting tips

Free ice hockey tips, best bets and analysis for Game Five of the Stanley Cup finals between Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning at Ball Arena, Denver on Friday.

Where to watch

Premier Sports 1, 1am Saturday

Best bet

Victor Hedman to score over 0.5 total points
2pts 4-6 Hills

Game Five preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s dreams of a Stanley Cup threepeat are hanging by a thread after defeat in Game Four, but the champions aren’t ready to throw in the towel yet.

The Colorado Avalanche are in control of the finals after Nazem Kadri’s overtime winner in Tampa Bay put them 3-1 up in the best-of-seven series, leaving them one win away from a first cup success since 2001.

Layers make the Avs strong favourites to finish the job in Game Five on home ice, where they are 7-2 in the playoffs, hammering the Lightning 7-0 on their last visit to the raucous Ball Arena.

However, Tampa Bay have played much better since that humbling and have shown a never-say-die attitude throughout the postseason, making them a tempting bet at odds of 6-4 to force a sixth game.

Those heroes of the Bolts’ back-to-back cup wins can be counted upon to at least make life hard for Colorado, with Victor Hedman among their reliable performers.

The Norris Trophy finalist has recorded 18 points in the playoffs, four of which have come in this series, and appeals to add to his tally due to his extensive time on the ice and habit of getting plenty of shots on goal.

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