USA TODAY Sports-Kim Klement
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – Game 3
Game time, TV: Monday, June 8, 2015 – 8:00 PM ET on NBCSN
Series Results:
Game 1: Blackhawks 2 Lightning 1 (Chicago Leads Series 1-0)
Game 2: Lightning 4 Blackhawks 3 (Series Tied 1-1)
After losing Game 1 at home, Saturday night’s Game 2 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Finals was a must win for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Falling behind two games to none as the series headed to Chicago would have been simply disastrous.
Like in Game 1, the Lightning struck first. With just over sever minutes to play in the period, Blackhawks defenseman Kyle Cumiskey turned the puck over and 21-year-old forward Tampa Bay forward Cedric Paquette rifled a shot through traffic and past Corey Crawford.
The second period was played at an extremely high pace and a number of chances were exchanged by both teams throughout. Pesky Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw tied the game up early in the period after shoveling home a rebound off a Niklas Hjalmarsson shot. Chicago took the lead at the 5:20 mark of the middle frame as Game 1 hero Teuvo Teravainen wristed a shot past Ben Bishop.
Just a minute-and-a-half later, Nikita Kucherov knotted the score up at two on a deflection off a Jason Garrison shot from the point. After exchanging several more chances back and forth, Tampa Bay regained the lead when speedster Tyler Johnson shot the pack off of Crawford’s back and into the night.
Just like in Game 1, Joel Quenneville’s team entered the third period trailing by one goal. And just like in Game 1, Chicago tied the score and seized momentum. Brent Seabrook’s shot found the back of the net after Marian Hossa bothered Bishop in the crease.
Blackhawks winger Patrick Sharp then took two-straight penalties, which proved to be the difference in the game. During his second trip to the box, Garrison again hammered a shot home to give the Lightning the 4-3 lead. Andrei Vasilevskiy closed the game out in net for the Lightning after Bishop had to leave the game for a reason not yet known.
Game 3 figures to be thrilling just like the first two games of the series. Back home at the “Madhouse on Madison,” I expect the Blackhawks to squeak out another close game and take the 2-1 series lead.
Prediction: Blackhawks 3 Lightning 2
Seth Lassen is a writer for RantSports. ‘Like’ him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @Seth_Lassen.
