Stanley Cup Final 2015: Blackhawks vs. Lightning Odds and Series Preview

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in the Stanley Cup Final and seeking their third championship in the past six years. They will battle a Tampa Bay Lightning squad that's back on the NHL's biggest stage more quickly than expected after a brief rebuild.

This series should be a tremendous display of hockey. Neither team is prone to playing the overly defensive style typically associated with the playoffs. Both possess plenty of offensive star power, and it should shine through starting Wednesday night.

Let's check out the series outlook based on the oddsmakers' lines. That's followed by a closer examination of what each team must accomplish in order to raise the Stanley Cup after what should be an extended, hard-fought series.

2015 Stanley Cup Final Odds

Category	Blackhawks	Lightning
Series	-145	+125
Game 1	+100	-120

Blackhawks vs. Lightning Preview

Although it won't provide immediate solace should the Lightning come up short in the Final, the Tampa Bay fanbase has reason for long-term optimism. This is a team that's arriving to the championship stage a bit earlier than expected.

Steven Stamkos is the franchise cornerstone. That said, this run has been more about the production from players such as Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov. They have come into their own at a rapid pace to provide necessary scoring depth.

Every player listed in that paragraph is 25 or younger, which illustrates how dangerous the Lightning are going to remain for the foreseeable future.

They are here to compete for the Cup, though. Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com passed along comments from head coach Jon Cooper about his group:

"

I don't know if we're so young and dumb and don't know any better. But you walk into that room, and I've watched this team get pushed against the wall. ... But they just answer the challenge. Every time we as a staff go in and challenge them, they respond. And they're such a fun team to coach because they can play the game in a multitude of ways. You want to shoot it out, which our guys like to do, we can shoot it out. We want to win, want to go to the Stanley Cup Final, then you have to play D.

"

His last sentence is probably the most important. If the Lightning are going to win it all, they are going to need a strong defensive series and probably a couple of monster performances from goalie Ben Bishop.

ESPN Stats & Info notes that simply scoring a lot of goals hasn't translated into championship success in more than two decades:

Bishop has been reliable throughout the postseason run with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage in 20 games. His size (6'7'') allows him to cover up most of the shooting space even when going down into the butterfly.

Brian Hedger of NHL.com provided insight from Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville about what his team must do to make life difficult on the Tampa Bay netminder:

"

We've played against some big goalies in these playoffs. I just think that no matter how big or what goalie, we always seem to talk about if we want success against them, we have to get to the net, you have to hang around there and you have to make sure you make it tough on him to find pucks. And you have to bear down on your opportunities. [Bishop's] the biggest one we've seen. We want to make sure we get to the net.

"

It's a series in which Chicago will be thankful to have dangerous weapons at the point, led by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. A big part of the game plan will be getting the puck to those defensemen and crowding the front, looking for a deflection or a rebound.

That style of play is something the Hawks have used frequently during their Cup runs. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Co. aren't afraid of going in those battle areas to fight for scoring chances. Highlight-reel goals are usually limited in the playoffs, as it more often comes down to outworking an opponent.

Along with the roster's obvious star power, the Blackhawks also have experience on this stage. Yahoo Sports NHL highlighted the difference between the two sides in that regard:

Ultimately, these teams are evenly matched. The Lightning have a little more offensive upside and sport that youthful exuberance. The Blackhawks are the slightly more well-rounded team and are battle-tested in these situations.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet summed it up well:

In the end, the Lightning have the makings of a future dynasty. They could very well go on a run similar to the one the Blackhawks are on right now over the next decade. Chicago is already at that level and continues to play championship hockey.

Tampa Bay is dangerous enough to make this a competitive series that lasts six or seven games. The question is whether it can do enough to overcome the Hawks. It feels like the Lightning aren't there quite yet.

Prediction: Blackhawks in six games