Stanley Cup Finals 2015!

Chicago Blackhawks vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Finals start Wednesday.

Both teams have already faced some adversity and soundly overcome them each and every time. Tampa Bay went down 2-3 against Detroit, but pulled off a comeback and advanced after seven games. Then had to play another game 7 in the conference finals against the President's Trophy winners NY Rangers.

Chicago was down 2-3 against the Ducks in the West finals, but came back to take the series. Hawks are a modern day dynasty, having won two cups in this decade already, and the last 5 out of 7 seasons they've reached at least the conference finals. Now going after another cup with a core that is simply used to winning.

Lightning top 6 forwards:
Ondrej Palat - Tyler Johnson - Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn - Valtteri Filppula - Steven Stamkos

That top six is lethal. Especially the Johnson line has been on fire. They can go blow for blow with anyone. Definitely lots of speed and scoring touch. Filppula and Killorn (and Palat) are pretty good defensively, too. They don't have huge depth beyond that, and coach Cooper has been dressing 11 forwards anyway. But there's Ryan Callahan who's found his game lately.

Blackhawks top 6 forwards:
Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews - Marian Hossa
Bryan Bickell - Brad Richards - Patrick Kane

Aside from Bickell, who's been bad, that's a stacked lineup. And that top line is amazing defensively. I don't know who they play against, but don't expect much scoring from their opponents.

That's pretty much a push. But Hawks have more depth - a third line of Teravainen - Vermette - Patrick Sharp is much better than anything the Bolts have in their bottom six. Let's see if they can make it count on the scoreboard.

Overall a slight edge to Chicago in forwards.

Lightning defense
Hedman - Stralman
Garrison - Coburn
Carle - Sustr
Nesterov

Hedman is a star, but the rest are a varied bunch of 'good' and some 'mediocre' defensemen. I guess quantity over quality here?

Blackhawks defense
Keith - Hjalmarsson
Cumiskey - Seabrook
Oduya - Rundblad

There's 3 star level defensemen here (Duncan Keith is probably the best d-man in the world), and add Oduya and that's a solid 4 d-men core that eats up almost all the minutes. But beyond those guys, Cumiskey and Rundblad are not reliable at all.

I'd like to give the edge here to Chicago, but Garrison, Carle and Coburn are so much better than David Rundblad that it's got to be a push. Usually your defense is as strong as your weakest link, and since Tampa Bay has home ice and last change in the first two games, expect coach Cooper to try and exploit those guys.

Goaltending
Ben Bishop vs Corey Crawford

Crawford's got the cup ring, and he usually plays better in big games. Still, Bishop's had games where he's been lights out. This series will be a fast paced one with a lot of scoring chances... I think Crawford's the more vulnerable one to that kind of a shelling. Bishop has his occasional meltdowns, but he's still a solid goalie most of the time. He'll keep his team in it.

Edge Lightning.

Coaching & special teams
Hawks special teams are pretty bad. Tampa Bay has a killer PP unit. Quenneville doesn't have much in his bag that hasn't been seen or used before (partly because the Hawks have been on the spotlight for so long), and I think Cooper is a superb young head coach. Cooper gives the Lightning the edge here.

I've got the Bolts in 5. Lightning are going to hold home ice because they get favourable matchups, Hawks win game 3 at the UC, but then lose a 6-5 OT heartbreaker in game four, and then the Bolts close at home.

Thanks for picking the 'hawks to lose again.

I'll be rooting for The Lightning. Not that I have any ill will toward the Black Hawks, I'd just like to see a team take it that hasn't done it in a while.

It's game 1, and Tampa Bay are up 1-0 after two periods. Bolts started strong, but the Hawks have been slightly better for most of the second period.

Bishop is on his way to a shutout. By shutting out the Hawks, and earning a shutout, he'd get his 4th shutout of the playoffs, in the shutout statistics.

I caught with it 10min left to go in the 3rd period. The Blackhawks sure turned that one around! That was an exciting last few minutes.

It was the coming out party of Teuvo Teravainen.

About time Teuvo showed up. The 'hawks never quit, do they?

I predict Chicago will win in six games.

That being said, I really want the Blackhawks to win at home if they do win. If Tampa wins, I hope they win in five or seven games.

Chicago has not won the Stanley Cup on home ice since 1938. All three Stanley Cups they've won since then have been won away from home.

I think it's more special to win in the other team's building. Unless I was able to be there in person, of course, then I'd just hope for a home ice win.

But when you win in another team's arena, it's immediately more memorable like "Philadelphia 2010" or "Boston 2013" instead of a generic "winning in Chicago 2015". The hometown still gets the parade, and the banner raising ceremony. The players might prefer having more of their fans present at the moment when the cup is hoisted, but then again, they also get a wild airplane ride with Lord Stanley. I saw some videos of the 2010 and 2013 flights back home.

The bigger issue is the losing team. It's A LOT more painful to see another team parade around with the cup in your building, than it is to quietly go away from their building. I have to admit, and I might be mean, but I quite enjoyed the Hawks winning in Philadelphia because there's something about shoving it down their throats.

Bolts up 3-2 after two periods. The two teams have traded leads and it's been fast-paced hockey so far. Maybe missing a little bit of the physical aspect of the game hockey fans are used to, but neither team plays that way. But anyway no signs of Tampa going into a shell so far.

Should be a good third period.

Series is tied at 2. Game 5 is Saturday. I think Tampa's had a slight edge in play so far. But the margins have been tiny so far. Back and forth action.

Hawks need to steal this one, can't see them winning a game 7 on the road.

Soooooooooo close now.

Hawks 1 win away. The Stanley Cup will be in the building.

So, all the crap i've read about Crawford should be done. Very well done, truly a team win.

No words

It was nice to see Chicago win the Stanley Cup at home for a change. Last night was the first time they did that since 1938; all the Stanley Cups they've won since then were won away from home.