Stanley Cup 2015: Latest Blackhawks vs. Lightning Odds, Predictions After Game 1

It's fascinating to watch a sporting event and see how quickly things can turn. The Tampa Bay Lightning appeared to be on their way to a win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, but two third-period goals by Teuvo Teravainen and Antoine Vermette gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 series edge. 

Tampa Bay's loss was stunning because of how well the team had played defensively for 53 minutes. The Lightning missed scoring opportunities, notably on a Ryan Callahan breakaway minutes before Teravainen tied the score, but the Blackhawks had no answer for most of the game. 

Yet one problem that's plagued the Lightning throughout the playoffs has been consistency, and it came up against the Blackhawks. The Eastern Conference Final saw Tampa Bay go through a four-game stretch in which it lost two games by a combined score of 12-4 and won two games by a combined score of 4-0. 

So how much did the Lightning's fortunes in the Stanley Cup Final change because of the loss? How do the Blackhawks feel after stealing home-ice advantage away?

Result	Odds
Blackhawks win in sweep	17-2
Blackhawks win in five	4-1
Blackhawks win in six	7-2
Blackhawks win in seven	17-4
Lightning win in five	13-2
Lightning win in six	6-1
Lightning win in seven	9-2

Odds via OddsShark.com

Prediction

The Blackhawks started the series as the favorite to win with 2-3 odds, and nothing that happened in Game 1 should change that. If anything, the way they won should make them stronger favorites.

The Western Conference champions have been money at home in the playoffs, going 7-1 in eight games, but the road has presented problems with five wins in nine games before Wednesday night. It also didn't help that Tampa Bay had an NHL-high 32 home wins during the regular season. 

Yet the best teams are always able to figure things out as they get into a series, which is exactly what the Blackhawks did, as ESPN's Pierre LeBrun noted after the win:

"

After playing a grueling series with the physically imposing Ducks, perhaps at times a more stationary or stagnating flow because of the hard-earned ice, the Blackhawks looked almost like a deer in the headlights in the opening period and a bit more of Game 1 on Wednesday, the blazing speed and pace of the Lightning was a complete changeup from what they had just lived for two weeks.

"

Those sentiments were echoed by Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). 

"We got better as the game went on," Quenneville said. "Huge goal through traffic, and then a nice shot by Vermy. Turned out to be a great third period. ... Finding a way to win is what this team is all about."

LeBrun also cited War-On-Ice.com to note Chicago had a 19-7 advantage in scoring chances after the first period. The Blackhawks were dictating the pace for most of the game, even though the Lightning came out of the gate stronger and faster. 

The Lightning aren't out of the series. In fact, this is familiar territory for them after losing Game 1 against Detroit and New York each by one goal before eliminating both in seven games. 

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

One lingering problem for Tampa Bay did return at the worst possible time: goalie Ben Bishop. The 28-year-old has been erratic in the postseason. He gave up five goals in Games 3, 4 and 6 against the Rangers but posted shutouts in Games 5 and 7. 

In fact, as noted by ESPN's John Buccigross, Bishop's shutout in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final put him in some exclusive company:

Bishop showed both sides of his personality against the Blackhawks. He held Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews scoreless and stopped the first 18 shots against him, but Chicago's onslaught eventually proved to be too much for him. 

The good news for Tampa Bay is Bishop has shown tremendous resolve to constantly bounce back from bad games. This wasn't even a bad overall game compared to some of his other efforts, though it may be the most devastating because the Lightning were within seven minutes of a win before things fell apart. 

Yet even as the Lightning can put a positive spin on things, they are in a whole new world against the Blackhawks compared to what they have faced. Kane and Toews aren't going to be held scoreless often, so that makes Game 1 an even bigger missed opportunity. 

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford could have fallen apart after giving up a goal less than five minutes into the first period. Instead, with the help of Chicago's defense, he responded by shutting down the league's highest-scoring offense for the next 55 minutes. 

The Blackhawks have looked like they are on a mission all postseason, and Game 1 was evidence of that. They were favored before the Stanley Cup Final started for a reason and will ride this wave of momentum to a third title in five years. 

Blackhawks win series in five games.