Stanley Cup 2015: Blackhawks vs. Lightning Game 2 Odds, Prop Bets, Predictions

The Chicago Blackhawks have a chance to take firm command of the Stanley Cup Final if they can pull off another road victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of their championship series.

However, it's going to be difficult to beat the Lightning in two consecutive games on their home ice, and oddsmakers favor Steven Stamkos & Co. coming out with the victory and tying their best-of-seven series at 1-1 with the Blackhawks.

Fans who are interested in wagering on Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final can do it in a number of ways. They can bet the game on the money line, the puck line and also wager on the over-under in the game, according to Odds Shark. If that's not enough, fans can also make wagers on the outcomes of the first, second or third period.

Gambling odds on individual period bets are not made available until shortly before the game for the first period and during the game for the subsequent second- and third-period wagering possibilities. The oddsmakers take the results of the first period into account before making the second-period wagers available and do the same with the second-period results before making the third-period wagers available.

These type of best are often circled, meaning the amount that can be wagered is limited. That amount is usually $500 or fewer, depending on the sportsbook.

Matchup	Money Line	Puck Line	Over/Under
Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning	Chicago: +120; Tampa Bay -120	Chicago: +1.5. -275; Tampa Bay -1.5, +230	5: Over -130; Under +116

For the game, the Lightning are minus-130 favorites on the money line, while the Blackhawks are plus-120 underdogs. To win $100 on Tampa Bay, a bettor has to risk $130. Chicago bettors will risk $100 for a $120 payoff.

Tampa Bay backers who are willing to wager on the puck line will get a much more favorable payoff. By giving 1.5 pucks, bettors who risk $100 would win $230 if the the Lightning win by two goals or more. On the other hand, Blackhawks fans would have to risk $275 to win $100, but they would get paid if their team lost by a goal or won the game.

The over-under in the game is listed at five goals. Bettors who believe it will be a low-scoring game with four goals or fewer will win $118 on a $100 wager. A bettor who is taking the over would have to risk $128 to get paid $100. Bettors on either side would get their money back if the total goals scored in the game falls right on the total of five goals.

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Game analysis:

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

While the Lightning need this game desperately, they can't think of it as a must-win game or it will only increase the pressure on them to pull out a home victory over the experienced Blackhawks, who are just three games away from winning their third Stanley Cup title in the last six years.

Stamkos says his team is confident in its ability to bounce back because it has responded at critical moments throughout the season.

The Lightning had the better of play for more than two periods in Game 1, but they were only able to put one artful deflection by Corey Crawford. That goal by Alex Killorn was a beauty in the first period, but frustration grew when Crawford stopped Stamkos and his teammates from that point on.

The Lightning have a slew of skilled players in Stamkos, Killorn, Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman, and they should know that they can skate with the Blackhawks. That means they should get plenty of opportunities to score in the second game.

The key to beating Crawford is going up high when he goes down to block shots. Crawford is very good at squaring himself to the shooters, and he is capable of swallowing up a slew of shots if the Lightning are firing the puck at his uniform crest and not the corners.

While quick puck movement is often the key to making plays in the offensive zone, the Lightning may need an extra split second to find Crawford's vulnerable spots. After Crawford stopped a Ryan Callahan breakaway in the third period, the Blackhawks followed with the two goals that gave them the victory in Game 1. 

The Blackhawks may have won Game 1, but neither Jonathan Toews nor Patrick Kane scored for head coach Joel Quenneville. The reason the Blackhawks have been such a dangerous team over the past six seasons is that their stars have played like stars on a consistent basis.

Toews and Kane seem to get more dangerous in a series as it progresses, so they will have their moments before Gary Bettman hands out the Stanley Cup.

They may not be ready to assert themselves in Game 2. 

Look for the Blackhawks to play aggressive hockey with a nearly care-free attitude. They earned their road victory in Game 1 and while they would like another in Game 2, they don't have to play the game with a lot of pressure.

That element can be found in the home team's locker room.

Expect Jon Cooper's team to play with a bit more aggressiveness in Game 2, and they should be a little better at finding the back of the net.

Game 2 prediction: Tampa Bay 3, Chicago 1