NHL Playoffs 2015: Predictions for Blackhawks vs. Lightning in Stanley Cup Final

Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Tyler Johnson, Brandon Saad, Alex Killorn, Marian Hossa and Ondrej Palat will be the headliners in the Stanley Cup Final, and on its face, that's a boat load of offensive talent for the Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning.

High-scoring games could be the rule with the sport's championship on the line, but before Gary Bettman steps out onto the ice in Tampa or Chicago to a chorus of boos, championship-caliber defense will be displayed and may even determine who gets to skate around with the NHL's most sought-after chalice.

The Blackhawks find themselves in the enviable position of playing for a third title in the last six seasons, while the Lightning hope to pick up the second championship in team history. The Lightning have home-ice advantage, but Chicago's confidence and championship experience will more than make up for that issue.

The series will begin at the Amalie Arena in Tampa on Wednesday night, and here's how the matchup breaks down.

Offense

Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

The Blackhawks don't have any individual player with the goal-scoring talent of Stamkos (seven goals, 10 assists), and the Lightning will be counting on their captain to establish his presence by scoring key goals early in the series. Valtteri Filppula (11 points) is capable of setting up Stamkos and Killorn (seven goals, nine assists), and they are often at their best when the game is on the line.

Johnson (21 points) has the kind of speed that causes problems for every Lightning opponent, and he has meshed beautifully with linemates Palat (15 points) and Nikita Kucherov (19 points). The Triplets can score goals in bunches and are capable of carrying the Lightning in any game.

The Lightning have an excellent supporting cast, and players such as Brian Boyle, J.T. Brown and Ryan Callahan are capable of contributing at key moments with goals, blocked shots and big hits.

"We've always found a way to come through when it matters the most," Stamkos told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "Confidence is a crazy thing. It's so tough to get, but when you have it, you try to keep it as long as you can."

The combination of Toews (nine goals, nine assists) and Kane (20 points) should be at their best with the Stanley Cup on the line. While head coach Joel Quenneville doesn't normally put his gold-dust twins on the same line, he will do it at key moments in the playoffs.

Toews was dominant in the seventh game against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring two first-period goals that allowed the Blackhawks to set the pace in the one-sided series finale. Saad (six goals) has the speed to race through opponents with the puck and create opportunities for himself and his teammates. 

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#Blackhawks Jonathan Toews: GM 7 vs Ducks: 2 Goals 2014 Gold Medal: Goal GM 7 vs Kings: Goal GM 7 vs Canucks: Goal 2010 Gold Medal: Goal

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 31, 2015"

Hossa (four goals, nine assists) remains a major force for the Blackhawks. While he is gifted offensively, he has not had one of his better goal-scoring years. However, he scored in Games 6 and 7 against Anaheim, and he could be starting to find his stride at the most important moment.

Advantage: Tampa Bay

Defense

The Lightning will try to slow down the Chicago attack with a big, powerful defense that has an attacking mentality.

Victor Hedman (10 points, plus-11) is their best defenseman, and he is capable of taking over with his skating ability, excellent positioning and impressive offensive ability. Partner Anton Stralman (seven points, plus-two) is a tough, smart shot-blocker who will also play the physical game. While he doesn't have great offensive skills, he will move in and take the shot from the point when he has the opportunity.

Jason Garrison and Braydon Coburn have been solid during the playoffs, but they could find it difficult against the highly skilled Blackhawks. The same holds true for Tampa Bay's No. 3 pairing of Matt Carle and Andrej Sustr.

Throughout the Western Conference Final, analysts expected the Blackhawks' injured and undermanned defense to have problems. Though head coach Joel Quenneville had to depend on Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, along with Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya, to play big minutes, nothing could have been further from the truth.

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You can't credit Keith (two goals, 16 assists, plus-13) enough for his stellar play and leadership. He had three assists in Chicago's series-tying Game 6 victory, and he asserted himself in every game. Seabrook (six goals, four assists, plus-six) is a solid blueliner who can be an offensive wunderkind. His third-period goal in Game 7 ended Anaheim's hopes of mounting a comeback.

Hjalmarsson (plus-5) is a brilliant shot-blocker, a solid puck mover and underrated. Oduya (four assists) was not at his best in the regular season, but he has played excellent hockey throughout the postseason and his teammates know they can rely on him.

Advantage: Chicago

Goaltending

Ben Bishop (12-8, 2.15 goals-against average, .920 save percentage) looked shaky throughout Tampa Bay's Eastern Conference Final games at home, but he was superb on the road. He blanked the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in Games 5 and 7, and he uses his 6'7" frame to make life tough on opposing shooters.

Still, there have been several moments when Bishop looked shaky throughout the playoffs, and the Blackhawks should be able to exploit his lack of consistency.

Corey Crawford (9-4, 2.56 GAA, .919 save percentage) is not usually mentioned in the same breath as the top goaltenders in the league such as Carey Price, Henrik Lundqvist and Tuukka Rask, but he has a Stanley Cup ring to his credit and is now in a position to get his second as Chicago's No. 1 goalie.

Crawford struggled in the first round against Nashville, but he bounced back and has been dependable ever since. Crawford has superb quickness and the ability to bounce back from a bad game. He is mentally strong and is at his best when the pressure is on.

Advantage: Chicago

Intangibles

Winning the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013 gives the Blackhawks a confidence that the Lightning can only dream of bringing to the ice in this series.

It's not just a matter of having been there before. The Blackhawks have a high-level championship coach in Quenneville, who ranks third all time in coaching victories and has two Stanley Cups to his credit. Jon Cooper is highly thought of and has done a nice job in his first two years in Tampa Bay, but he doesn't compare with Quenneville.

Toews is a remarkable player who has risen to the occasion throughout his career. He was at his best in the Blackhawks' 2013 Stanley Cup victory over Boston. In that series, the Blackhawks trailed the series 2-1 when he changed his game plan and decided to attack Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara instead of staying away from the Boston captain. That helped the Blackhawks win the final three games of that series.

Kane is one of the game's most prolific big-game players. He scored the overtime goal that gave Chicago the 2010 Stanley Cup, and his slick stick-handling allows him to create opportunities when the game is on the line.

The Lightning have a number of intangibles in their favor. They closed out the Montreal Canadiens on the road in the conference semifinal and did the same to the Rangers the following round. They have excelled on the road in the postseason, reeling off a 7-2 record during the playoffs.

Their ability to play winning hockey away from home could shock the Blackhawks.

Advantage: Chicago

Prediction

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

The Blackhawks did not have the most consistent regular season, and they don't have a lot of depth on the blue line. It would also not be surprising if the Lightning show off their offensive skills and win a game or two in the series.

But it is very difficult to beat the Blackhawks in a best-of-7 playoff series. The combination of skill, intelligence, will and experience has provided a winning formula for this team. 

This team has proved to be resilient after a bad game, and it thrives on pressure. The Blackhawks will hoist the Stanley Cup again, winning the series in six games.