The Chicago Blackhawks are closing in on the Stanley Cup trophy. After grinding out a 2-1 win in Game 5, the Blackhawks return home with a golden opportunity to win the Cup in front of their home crowd later tonight.
Will the Blackhawks snuff Tampa Bay and end the series in six games? Or will the Tampa Bay Lightning force a winner-take-all Game 7. Get ready for Game 6 with our complete preview below. You can also see what the experts are saying about Game 6 here.
[sc:NHLArticles ]Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Chicago Blackhawks Game 6 Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 –June 3, 8:00 PM ET— Chicago Blackhawks 2 at Tampa Bay Lightning 1
Game 2 – June 6, 7:15 PM ET—Chicago Blackhawks 3 at Tampa Bay Lightning 4
Game 3 – June 8, 8:00 PM ET –Tampa Bay Lightning 3 at Chicago Blackhawks 2
Game 4 – June 10, 8:00 PM ET –Tampa Bay Lightning 1 at Chicago Blackhawks 2
Game 5 – June 13, 8:00 PM ET – Chicago Blackhawks 2 at Tampa Bay Lightning 1
Game 6 – June 15, 8:00 PM ET – Tampa Bay Lightning (+155) at Chicago Blackhawks (-175); total: 5.0– view all NHL lines
Game 7* – June 17, 8:00 PM ET – Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning
*If necessary
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning
[sc:NHL240 ]Ben Bishop had a night to remember back in Game 5, but mostly for the wrong reasons. Bishop, who resumed his starting gig for the Lightning after sitting out Game 4, gave up two goals in Tampa Bay’s Saturday loss. The first one of which was something that was ripped straight out of his worst nightmare, as Bishop went outside the crease to play the puck, essentially giving Chicago forward Patrick Sharp a free pass to the net.
Regardless of whether Bishop is still feeling some discomfort because of a lower-body injury, he’ll have no room for any kind of mistake this coming Monday. Overall, he played well in Game 5 (27 saves on 29 shots faced) but errors like the one that resulted into Sharp’s goal have no place in the Stanley Cup Finals. Bishop’s blunder, however, could’ve been nothing more than a footnote if the Lightning’s supposedly electrifying first and second lines didn’t suffer blackouts in Game 5.
Tampa Bay’s offense is the biggest reason why the Lightning are in the Finals, so it’s not much of a surprise to see the team go down when guys like Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson, or anyone from the team’s first two lines fails to register a goal. Stamkos has yet to score in the Finals after going off for four goals in the previous round against the Rangers. Johnson, meanwhile, only has a goal and an assist thus far versus Chicago.
Johnson’s line may come into Game 6 minus Nikita Kucherov, who is currently nursing an upper-body injury. Kucherov is second in the playoffs with 10 goals and 22 points.
Tampa Bay is 7-3 in its last 10 road games.
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Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are winning games in the Finals in a way few thought of before the series began—by riding the coattails of their lower-tier lines. Game 5 was no different, as third-liners Patrick Sharp and Antoine Vermette scored a goal each to help Chicago move one win away from capturing the ‘Hawks’ third Stanley Cup title in six seasons. They can do it later tonight at home, where the Blackhawks are 8-2 in their last 10 home games.
The Blackhawks’ third line composed of Sharp, Vermette, and Teuvo Teravainen, has been shining all throughout the series. Vermette has two goals in the Finals (both game winners), Sharp has a goal and two assists, while Teravainen has two goals and two assists. The top lines of Chicago, however, are still hard pressed to deliver the goods.
Patrick Kane, who remains scoreless in this series, will have to continue pushing the action. He had three shot on goals in Game 6. Toews, on the other hand, registered just one shot on goal on Saturday. Perhaps the duo will put up a show tonight, as the Blackhawks are 9-0 in series-clinching Game 6’s with Joel Quenneville at the helm.
Another player the ‘Hawks are counting on to do great in Game 6 is Corey Crawford. Crawford was sensational back in Game 5, as he stifled numerous Tampa Bay rushes to finish with a 31-save effort on 32 shots faced for a saves percentage of .969.
Writer’s Prediction
Chicago (-175) wins, 3-2.
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