Everything you need to know ahead of the Lightning's Game 5 matchup against the Avalanche on Friday.
When: Friday, June 24 - 8 p.m. ET Where: Ball Arena - Denver, CO TV coverage: ABC (check local listings) Radio coverage: 970 WFLA-AM, Lightning Power Play Where to stream it: ESPN+
Projected Lineup (subject to change) Forwards Ondrej Palat - Steven Stamkos - Nikita Kucherov Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Alex Killorn Ross Colton - Nick Paul - Corey Perry Pat Maroon - Pierre-Edouard Bellemare - Riley Nash
Defensemen Victor Hedman - Jan Rutta Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak Mikhail Sergachev - Zach Bogosian
Goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy Brian Elliott
Friday's Matchup The Lightning and the Avalanche are playing Game 5 of their best-of-seven 2022 Stanley Cup Final...Tampa Bay is 0-2 in Colorado this postseason and 0-3 in 2021-22 regular season and playoffs combined...The Lightning's last victory at Ball Arena came Feb. 17, 2020, a 4-3 OT win capped by Nikita Kucherov's takeaway in the defensive zone and subsequent breakaway goal 3:03 into OT that capped the Bolts' franchise-record 11-game win streak...Tampa Bay is 17-13 all-time in Game 5s and has won 12 of its last 16 Game 5s...The Lightning are 5-8 all-time in road Game 5s.
Friday's Storylines The Lightning face elimination for the third time this postseason and are 2-0 so far in potential elimination games, both coming in the First Round against Toronto, the Bolts rallying from a third-period deficit to defeat the Maple Leafs 4-3 in OT in Game 6 at AMALIE Arena (Brayden Point netted the game- winner at 18:04 of OT) and finishing off the Leafs with a 2-1 win in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena (Nick Paul scoring both Lightning goals for his first two career playoff goals)...This marks the fourth occasion the Lightning have trailed 3-1 in a best-of-seven playoff series; they've come back to win one of those series, falling behind 3-1 to Pittsburgh in the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal before rallying to win three straight by a combined 13-4, two of the three victories coming in Pittsburgh.
Injuries 2021-22 Reg. Season Man Games Lost: 185 2022 Playoff Man Games Lost: 12 Current injuries None
Tampa Bay Sports Item of the Game Stanley Cup Final Program Spend $35 or more on 2022 Playoff or Final merchandise and receive a FREE Stanley Cup Final Program, while supplies. Available in store and online, today only while supplies last. Spend before taxes and after discounts. Limit one (1) per customer.
The Road Ahead Game 6: Lightning vs. Avalanche, Sunday, June 26 (if necessary) Game 7: Lightning at Avalanche, Tuesday, June 28 (if necessary)
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