Get ahead of Stanley Cup Final Game 2

Congratulations to the Golden State Warriors, led by Finals MVP Steph Curry. There's something beautiful about the Warriors building a dynasty, suffering through two years of injuries, getting healthy and regaining their spot at the top of the NBA. It's been quite the run for Golden State, and while we are sad for our Boston Celtics tickets, we can appreciate the dominance of this Warriors team.

The NBA season is over, and early odds suggest a rematch could be in store in 2023. Both the Warriors and Celtics are +600 to win it all next season, tied with the Clippers and Nets for the best odds.

Now, we turn our attention to some actionable information ahead of the Stanley Cup Final's second game. The Lightning and Avalanche meet on Saturday night, so we're getting ahead by offering up some betting insights now.

How to bet Game 2 between Tampa Bay and Colorado - At the beginning of this series, we liked the over given the potential rust from Colorado leading to more Tampa Bay scoring. We were right in a sense. The total did hit seven goals, but there also wasn't as much rust on the Avalanche end as we expected; Colorado came out hot with a quick 2-0 lead in the first. We were right in a sense, the total did hit seven goals, but there also wasn't as much rust on the Avalanche end as we expected, they came out hot with a quick 2-0 lead in the first. With a game under their belts, Colorado is sure to be sharper, and perhaps more importantly, Darcy Kuemper will feel more at home in the crease after a 16-day layoff. 

There was a stark shot disparity between these teams in Game 1. Colorado poured on 38 shots, while Tampa Bay mustered just 23. To us, the Avalanche were the better team after one game, and we like their success to continue while at home. The series will be far from over even if Colorado wins Game 2, but through a single-game lens, we're backing the Avs to win. We're betting Colorado to win at -165 and backing Nathan MacKinnon to find the back of the net at +145. MacKinnon got his shots off, had an assist and looked sharp on the power play. Despite not scoring, he often looked like the most explosive player on the ice, and that level of play should lead to goals sooner rather than later.

In other news ...

North American locations announced for 2026 FIFA World Cup - Yes, there is a World Cup set for this November, but that doesn't mean we can't get excited about the 2026 World Cup. The event is hosted by North America, with locations in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The host cities were announced yesterday, headlined by New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Dallas. While we wait for 2026, we can turn our attention back to this upcoming World Cup. All three of the host nations from 2026 are in this upcoming field. USA is +8000 to win the World Cup, followed by Mexico at +10000 and Canada at +20000.

Sue Bird says 2022 will be the last of her illustrious WNBA career - Sue Bird, one of the most decorated WNBA players of all time, has announced that this season will be her last. Since entering the league in 2002, Bird has won four championships, been named an All-Star 12 times and has five First-Team All-WNBA honors. Bird is a lock for the Hall of Fame but still has one more task ahead of her. The Seattle Storm are 9-5, tied for the third-best record in the league, and you can bet on Bird riding off into the sunset as a champion at +600. 

NBA Draft in one week - With the NBA Finals wrapped up, attention turns to the upcoming draft, set for this coming Thursday. Jabari Smith is the favorite to go No. 1 to the Orlando Magic at -165. The latest buzz is that Chet Holmgren does not want to be selected by Orlando, preferring the Thunder as his landing spot. Holmgren is -160 to go second in the draft, the slot Oklahoma City occupies.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll