The 2022 Stanley Cup Final begins Wednesday as the Colorado Avalanche host the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1. Tampa Bay became the first time to reach the Final three straight times since Edmonton accomplished the feat from 1983-85 by defeating the New York Rangers in six games in the Eastern Conference final. Colorado has been idle since June 6, when it completed a four-game sweep of the Oilers with a 6-5 overtime triumph in the Western Conference final.

Puck drop at Ball Arena in Denver is set for 8 p.m. ET. Colorado is listed as the -150 favorite (risk $150 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Avalanche vs. Lightning odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while Tampa Bay is a +130 underdog. The over/under for goals is set at six (see the latest lines for every game on our NHL odds page).

Before making any Lightning vs. Avalanche picks, you NEED to see the latest NHL predictions from the SportsLine hockey insider Matt Severance.

Severance is a well-connected writer and handicapper who has worked in the industry since 2005. He's SportsLine's top NHL handicapper, going 134-71-4 in his last 209 NHL picks and returning well over $2,700 for $100 players. Anyone who has followed him is WAY UP.

Severance knows Colorado rolled to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2001, when it won the championship for the second time in franchise history. The Avalanche swept Nashville in the opening round and eliminated St. Louis in six games before outslugging Edmonton to sweep the Western Conference final. Colorado is tied with the Oilers for most playoff goals with 65 while Nathan MacKinnon ranks second in the league with 11 tallies.

But the expert is also aware that Tampa Bay has proven it can win any type of series this postseason. The Lightning overcame a 3-2 series deficit to defeat Toronto in the first round and swept Presidents' Trophy-winning Florida before winning four straight against the Rangers to take the Eastern Conference final in six games. Reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy owns a .928 save percentage and has allowed fewer than two goals in eight of his last 11 outings.

Now, Severance has set his sights on Avalanche vs. Lightning, and we can tell you he's leaning Over on the total. He's also found a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line! You ABSOLUTELY need to see it before locking in any NHL picks of your own.

So who wins Avalanche vs. Lightning in Game 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final? And which side of the money line has ALL the value? ... Join SportsLine right now to find out which side of the Lightning vs. Avalanche money line you should be all over on Wednesday, all from the expert who has crushed his NHL picks!