The Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves in a familiar place after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Colorado Avalanche. The Bolts are trailing in another playoff series. It’s an odd trend for a team that’s won its last 11 playoffs, but the Lightning are only 6-6 in Game 1s in that series, including this Stanley Cup Final. . The Avalanche are still the favorite (-160) for Game 2 at home and the over/under total is set at six goals.

Saturday will be a game of adjustments for both teams. Can the Avalanche start Nathan MacKinnon? How will the Lightning react? Will Andrei Vasilevskiy respond after allowing two soft goals in the first half? If Game 2 feels like Game 1, as hockey fans, we just want this game to go to seven games.

What time is Avalanche vs. Lightning Game 2?

8 p.m. ET Saturday

Where to watch and stream Avalanche vs Lightning?

Channels: ABC, CBC, SN

Diffusion: ESPN+, SN Now

Stanley Cup Final Schedule

Game 1: Avalanche 4, Lightning 3 – OT | Avalanche leads 1-0

Game 2: Lightning to Avalanche | Saturday June 18 | 8 p.m. ET

Game 3: Avalanche in Lightning | Monday, June 20 | 8 p.m. ET

Game 4: Avalanche in Lightning | Wednesday June 22 | 8 p.m. ET

5* game: Lightning to Avalanche | Friday June 24 | 8 p.m. ET

Game 6*: Avalanche in Lightning | Sunday June 26 | 8 p.m. ET

Game 7*: Lightning to Avalanche | Tuesday, June 28 | 8 p.m. ET

Every day during the Stanley Cup playoffs, The Athletic writers will make their picks, straight. We put our picks, TV schedule and coverage for all series, plus the latest ratings, all in one place for fans to easily digest and follow. Our in-depth NHL coverage is linked under the picks. For live NHL odds from BetMGM, click here.

What are Lightning’s chances at Avalanche Game 2?

Series ratings: Avalanche -275, Lightning +225

Avalanche vs. Lightning Game 2 Preview

At some point late in the second period of Game 1, as a linesman picked up a puck for a face-off, Colorado coach Jared Bednar stuck a finger under his shirt collar and fired, like a comedian after a joke, letting out the steamer. The heat was on.

His Avalanche, so excited and dominant from the first puck drop, had seen a 3-1 lead turn into a tie. Tampa Bay, looking tired and sluggish at the start, had effectively slowed the game to a more favorable pace. And the Lightning had taken control not only of the score, but also of the swing. “Everybody’s gone,” Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper said.

What changed? “The TV timeout,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We need to catch our breath.”

The Stanley Cup Finals officially kicked off around 6 p.m. local time in Denver. But the Cup really took off in the third period. At that time, the Avs and Bolts were both high and low. It was great hockey.

“We knew there would be swings in momentum,” Kuemper said. “There will be strong moments for us and weak moments. And we have to stay as balanced as possible.

Game 2 offers more of the same. Wednesday’s third period was indicative of how this series will go, more back and forth, with bursts of speed from Colorado followed by deliberate chess moves from Tampa Bay. Each team gave a helping hand. Countermoves are coming. Then counters to counters.

But still, the Avalanche can pull off a flash of puck movement for a quick goal, like they did in overtime. And still, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy will be there to stand on his head and close out an entire period, like he did in the third. Even Kuemper admitted that Vasy remains “the best goalkeeper in the world”.

Nothing about the Avs’ Game 1 win was lucky or undeserved. “The good team won the game,” Cooper said. “But we have better in us. I don’t think we gave them our best game. And we still had a chance to pull it off.

He is right. The Avalanche leapt out of the door. The Lightning caught up quickly. We are sure to see more overtime.

Historically, teams that win Game 1 are 62-20 in seven Cup Final games. Even better when they win the first game at home, 49-10. It’s better than 80%.

But the Stanley Cup doesn’t always see a series as even, at such a high level, as these finals with these two teams.

“That’s what makes the best-of-seven so great,” Cooper said. “At the end, the players know each other so well and the spirit of the game happens.”

Avalanche vs Lightning expert picks and predictions for Game 2

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(Photo by Cale Makar and Anthony Cirelli: Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)