Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final presents an opportunity for redemption for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Chicago Blackhawks are looking for more of the same as they take the ice as the road team.
The action begins at 7:15 p.m. ET inside Amalie Arena in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Saturday night. Chicago hopes its the last game in Florida this NHL season.
The Lightning led all but six minutes of Game 1 before the Blackhawks scored twice to steal a 1-0 series lead out from under Tampa Bay’s nose. But the loss itself shouldn’t be as concerning as the overall trend of play for Tampa Bay.
Despite controlling the pace of play in the first period, the Lightning’s offense stagnated in the latter stages. The goalie duel between Ben Bishop and Corey Crawford was a little misleading, as the Blackhawks netminder went almost 40 minutes of real time without seeing a shot on net at one point. Crawford ultimately finished with 22 saves on 23 shots.
The silver lining for Tampa Bay is their own defensive performance. Bishop was solid in net until the end, and Victor Hedman was perhaps the best player on the ice patrolling the Lightning’s defensive zone. Chicago certainly made the most of their chances, but those chances were few and far between for stretches of the game.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
7:15 p.m. ET | Game 2, Stanley Cup Final | Sat., June 6
Chicago leads series, 1-0
Amalie Arena | St. Petersburg, Fla., USA
Television: NBC, CBC (Canada), TVA (French)
Live stream at NBC Live Extra