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Matchup: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
TV Schedule
Game 1: Wednesday, June 3, Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
Game 2: Saturday, June 6, Chicago at Tampa Bay, 7: 15 p.m. ET, NBC
Game 3: Monday, June 8, Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Game 4: Wednesday, June 10, Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN
Game 5: (If necessary) Saturday, June 13, Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
Game 6: (If necessary) Monday, June 15, Tampa Bay at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
Game 7: (If necessary) Wednesday, June 17, Chicago at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
And then there were two.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning both won crucial (times 10) Game 7s, which means the two will meet up in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.
READ: 5 Bold Predictions for Chicago vs. Tampa Bay in NHL Stanley Cup Final
You could say the Lightning bring plenty of firepower to the table. They did average 3.2 goals per game during the regular season (first in the NHL), after all. Chicago came in at No. 17th in that same stat (2.7 GPG). However, the Blackhawks also only allowed 2.3 goals per game, which was good enough for second best in the league. As for Tampa Bay, it was 12th in that category.
You would have to (only) go all the way back to 2013 to find Chicago’s last championship. Tampa Bay’s last Cup came in 2004.
Although playing on the road tends to be an unfriendly place in the playoffs (for any sport), both the Lightning and Blackhawks managed to win Game 7s on — you guessed it — the road.
VIDEO: Breathtaking Stanley Cup Commercial Is All You Need Before Finals
This series is 100 percent up for grabs, both teams clearly earned their spots and one of the two will be holding up the Cup yet again when the 2015 Stanley Cup Final is in the books.
So, the big question remains: Who wins the Cup?
Prediction: Give me Chicago in six games
