NHL Stanley Cup Final 2022: Early Hot Takes from Fans for Avalanche vs. Lightning

The matchup for the Stanley Cup Final is set. Either the Colorado Avalanche will win their first Cup since 2001, or the Tampa Bay Lightning will become the first team to win three in a row since the New York Islanders (who won four straight from 1980 to 1983).

Both teams made it here in impressive fashion, having powered their way through the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. And it should be exciting to see what happens as the Avs and Lightning play a best-of-seven series to end the season.

Colorado was the top team in the Western Conference in the regular season, and it has lost only twice through its first 14 playoff games (both in the second round to the St. Louis Blues). The Avalanche swept the Edmonton Oilers in four games in the Western Conference Final.

Tampa Bay needed seven games to get past the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, then swept the Florida Panthers (the Presidents' Trophy winners) in the second round. After dropping the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final to the New York Rangers, the Lightning rebounded to win four straight and advance to their third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Now, the Avalanche and Lightning will meet in the postseason for the first time. And it didn't take long after the matchup was set on Saturday night for fans to start chiming in with early predictions on social media.

It's been more than two decades since Colorado has won the Cup, and now it will need to take down the two-time defending champions if it hopes to end that drought. But some Twitter users aren't worried about the fact that the Avs will be taking on an experienced group:

Colorado is the betting favorite to win the series, and it stormed through some tough competition in the West. So it's not a surprise to see plenty of fans predicting the Avalanche to win the Cup.

But the Lightning continue to prove that they can't be counted out. They may have ended up third in the Atlantic Division during the regular season (behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs), but they know how to win this time of year.

Because of that, some are confident Tampa Bay completes the three-peat:

Regardless of which team wins, this has the potential to be a competitive Stanley Cup Final that could go back and forth. That hasn't quite been the case for the Lightning the past two years.

In 2020, Tampa Bay beat the Dallas Stars in six games. Last year, the Lightning made even quicker work of the Montreal Canadiens, winning the Cup in only five games.

But a lot of fans are gearing up for a long Stanley Cup Final in 2022:

The Avalanche will have a good opportunity to potentially jump out front, with the series set to begin in Denver on Wednesday. They'll be playing Games 1 and 2 on their home ice, which could also be helpful in potential Games 5 and 7.

But the Lightning showed that an 0-2 deficit isn't too much for them to overcome during their series against the Rangers. Tampa Bay can't be counted out, even if it falls behind early against Colorado.

One big difference between the Avalanche and the Rangers, though, is that the Avs have been a better road team this postseason. Colorado is 7-0 in away games during the playoffs, so it may not be fazed by the hostile environment it's sure to encounter in Tampa.

No matter which team ends up celebrating with the Cup, it should be entertaining to watch this series unfold. And either way, a strong team will end up as a deserving champion.