avs zamboni

Las Vegas - Riding the Zamboni out to Denver for a look at the Stanley Cup Final. Thinking about going game by game instead of making a series pick, and here are my thoughts for the opener. First up, you might wanna look at rest vs. rust because the Avalanche have been waiting nine days to skate in ANGER, while the Lightning have had just four days off. In this spot, because the Cup is such a BRUTAL six week grind, we prefer the team with the fresh legs. We also prefer the team that rarely loses in the Mile High city. The Avs come in with 12 wins in the last 14 playoff games and 5-2 in front of the crazies at the Ball Arena. The Bolts have been exceptional as well on the way to the Cup Final, winning 12 of 17 overall, but just a very average 5-4 mark on the road. That bodes well for Colorado, but the real problem is solving the BEST goalie in the world, Tampa's Andrei Vasilevskiy. But then there's the MILE HIGH issue. It's not the only reason for leaning to the Avs, but it IS real. Just listen to Lightning center Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare who said the effects can be a real factor. “It’s not easy,” he said. “You know, you can’t complain about it or blame it because it’s a part of it.” And Bellemare KNOWS what he's talking about because he played in Colorado for two seasons before signing with the Lightning. He also said, “It’s hard to not focus on it, because, you know, your body’s going to give you a message — send you messages at times," before letting out a sharp exhale to demonstrate. “It’s a little bit tighter.” So, that's gonna be part of the equation for sure. However, we're not looking for an avalanche, but will throw a small handful of chips at the Avs to win the opener.

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