Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (7:00 p.m.)

It’s a Colorado Avalanche game day!

The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lighting are set for a 2022 Stanley Cup Final rematch tonight at Ball Arena. These two clubs’ current status and changes have been jarring since that fateful series three Aprils ago. Can Colorado steal a win despite being down six forwards? Or will Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning exact some revenge?

Colorado Avalanche

These previews are getting repetitive and in the worst way. I have more injuries to discuss, and it looks like those injuries will force the Avs to go 11-7 and possibly ice a defender at forward tonight. Ross Colton has been placed on IR after he took a puck to the foot and did not return against the Blackhawks unannounced to most Avs fans. Miles Wood also sustained an injury that night and is “day-to-day” but a no-go for tonight’s game.

We will get our first glimpse of Kaapo Kahkonen tonight, who I’m sure is thrilled to be backstopping the league’s most injured team. It’s a tough challenge, but if he’s up to the task, he could provide more answers in net for the Avalanche, who seem to be waffling in terms of claiming their true starter.

Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and Nathan MacKinnon will be leaned on heavily tonight, and that could bode well for the Avs or set them up for another addition to the laundry list of injuries. Tonight, it’s win or lose, but for the love of god, stay healthy.

Projected Lineup:

Nikolai Kovalenko — Nathan MacKinnon — Mikko Rantanen
Ivan Ivan — Casey Mittelstadt — Logan O’Connor
T.J. Tynan — Parker Kelly — Joel Kiviranta
Chris Wagner — Matthew Stienburg — Oliver Kylington

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Samuel Girard — Josh Manson
Calvin de Haan — Sam Malinski

Note: Oliver Kylington at forward is not a typo. I doubt he plays more than 4-5 minutes tonight.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa has seen a change of guard with the departure of their beloved and long-time captain, Steven Stamkos. Tampa’s management essentially chose Jake Guenztel over Stamkos, a move that has soured some fans of the Lightning. The team is still “hanging around,” as Evan Liu put it in this week’s Mile High Hockey Lab edition. They still have Nikita Kucherov, and although they are still tinkering with Guenztel’s fit, he will inevitably make them a better team. Can they be better than when they had Stammer? We shall see. For tonight, keep an eye on the ever-dangerous Brayden Point, who was four goals in Tampa’s last five games.

Projected Lineup:

Jake Guentzel — Brayden Point — Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel — Anthony Cirelli — Conor Geekie
Michael Eyssimont — Nicholas Paul — Mitchell Chaffee
Zemgus Girgensons — Luke Glendening — Cam Atkinson

Victor Hedman — J.J. Moser
Ryan McDonagh — Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg — Nick Perbix

Goaltenders

The Avalanche may catch a break tonight if the Lightning go with former Avalanche member Jonas Johansson instead of Andrei Vaslevski. It’s possible with Vassy getting plenty of starts already and Colorado’s banged-up forward group. For now, Vassy is the unconfirmed starter.

As previously mentioned, it will be Kaapo Kahokenen for the Avalanche. Perhaps Kaapo can start his time in Denver with a stolen victory!