Game 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals has come as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche prepare to fight for the ultimate hockey prize. Either the Lightning will win its third consecutive championship or the Avalanche will lift the Cup for the first time since 2001.
The Avalanche has gone to the Stanley Cup final without much resistance so far. Through three playoff rounds, Colorado is 12-2 with a couple of bars on its record. Now, the Avs have to send the back-to-back champions.
The Lightning have made a more scenic route to this point. They defeated the Maple Leafs in a heated seven-game series before sweeping their state rival, the Florida Panthers. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Lightning dropped the first two games against the New York Rangers before winning four in a row to advance.
Match 1 of the Stanley Cup final will begin at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN. Follow CBS Sports live updates below.