from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche have much in common. Belief. Patience. Perseverance.

Each suffered heartbreak for years. Each could have made major changes. Yet each stuck with the coach, the core and the process, reshaping the supporting cast and learning how to win.

Now here they are in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning trying to win a third straight championship, the Avalanche trying to follow in their footsteps. Game 1 is at Ball Arena on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ABC, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"It's growth, is what it is," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "This didn't happen overnight."

In their first six full seasons under Cooper, the Lightning lost in the Eastern Conference First Round, lost in the Stanley Cup Final, lost in the Eastern Conference Final, missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, lost in the conference final again and lost in the first round again.

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added 10:52am, from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,