NHL 22 Accurately Predicts Stanley Cup Winner After Getting It Wrong Last Year

The Stanley Cup Finals have now concluded, with the Colorado Avalanche defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the best-of-seven series for the title. EA's NHL 22 predicted that the Avalanche would come out on top, and that's what happened. The Avs defeated the Lighting last night in Game 6 to win the Cup.

According to EA's simulation, the Avalanche had a 54% chance to win the Stanley Cup, edging out the Lightning. The Avalanche were, in reality, the odds-on favorite to win the Cup, though not by too much. The Lightning won the Cup two years in a row, so the Avs have now ended that impressive streak. Additionally, Pat Maroon of the Lighting was denied his fourth straight Cup win.

It appears EA is no longer conducting its traditional yearly Stanley Cup Finals prediction, instead opting to release a win probability percentage. Last year, NHL 21 predicted the Montreal Canadiens would defeat the Lightning, but that did not happen.

The Avs got off to a good start in the Stanley Cup Finals, defeating the Lightning in a dramatic Game 1 by a score of 4-3 in OT. The Avs smoked the Lighting in Game 2 by a score of 7-0. The Lightning stormed back and won 6-3 in Game 3, then lost Game 4 in OT by a score of 4-3. The Lightning then won Game 5 by a score of 3-2, and then dropped Game 6, with the Avs hoisting the Cup in the end.

NHL 22, which features new superstar abilities for the first time in the series, is available now on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and via EA Play. The next entry in the series, NHL 23, has yet to be announced, but is expected to release around October as the series normally does.