The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning meet for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final Monday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. The Avalanche lead the series 2-0. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we look at the Avalanche vs. Lightning Stanley Cup Final Game 3 odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.

The Avalanche streak into Game 3 with a pair of victories in Denver in the first 2 games. Colorado nipped Tampa Bay 4-3 in overtime in Wednesday’s series opener before routing the Lightning in Game 2 Saturday by a 7-0 count.

The Lightning have dropped 2 of their last 3 playoff games following a loss after rebounding successfully in 18 consecutive postseason setbacks prior to Game 2 against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Also see: Prop bet payday: 3 prop bet predictions for Game 3

Avalanche at Lightning odds and lines

• Money line: Avalanche -112 (bet $112 to win $100) | Lightning -108 (bet $108 to win $100)
• Against the spread (ATS): Avalanche -1.5 (+200) | Lightning +1.5 (-290)
• Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -130 | U: +105)

Avalanche at Lightning projected goalies

Darcy Kuemper (8-2-0, 2.44 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO – postseason) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (12-7-0, 2.60 GAA, .918 SV%, 1 SO – postseason)

Kuemper picked a tremendous time for his best performance of the postseason. The Canadian goaltender turned aside each of the 16 shots he faced in Game 2 for his 1st shutout of the playoffs and the 2nd postseason shutout of his career.

Vasilevskiy was buried for 7 goals on 30 shots in Game 2, and he has yielded 11 total goals on just 68 shots in this series. He has also allowed 3 or more goals in 4 of his last 8 outings.

Money line

The LIGHTNING (-108) are short dogs on home ice, and that likely is for two reasons. One, the Avalanche manhandled them in Game 2, and two, Colorado has won all 7 of its postseason games on the road. All good things come to an end, however. Vasilevskiy will be vastly improved in Game 3 after getting blitzed for 7 markers Saturday, and he will be the reason Tampa makes this a series.

Against the spread

The Lightning +1.5 (-290) will cost 2.9 times your potential return. There is just no value there. If you like Tampa on home ice, just play it straight up.

PASS.

Over/Under

The Over has cashed in the first 2 games of this series, but UNDER 5.5 (-130) is the way to go in Game 3.

Tampa Bay should be better defensively on home ice, feeding off its crowd for a much-needed boost. Look for Vasilevskiy to get back to his world-class self in this one, which will be the lowest-scoring game of the series.

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