Stanley Cup Final 2015: Odds, Props and Predictions for Blackhawks vs. Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are not necessarily in a must-win position, but if they plan to be competitive in the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks, they need to find a way to win Game 2 at home.

While it is certainly possible to come back in the Stanley Cup Final after dropping the first two games of the series—the Boston Bruins did it in 2011 against the Vancouver Canucks—digging an early hole in the series is not the best way for a team to bring home the Cup. It is even more difficult when those first two losses take place in home games.

The betting odds certainly reflect the importance of the game and the degree of desperation the Lightning are likely to bring in Game 2.

According to Odds Shark, the Lightning are minus-130 favorites over the talented Blackhawks. Blackhawks supporters will note that their team is a plus-120 underdog.

Sports bettors who want action on the puck line will see that the Lightning are plus-230 when betting against a line of 1.5 goals, while the Blackhawks are minus-275 while getting 1.5 goals. Lightning backers would need to see their team win by two goals or more to get paid $230 on a $100 bet, while Blackhawks supporters need their team to lose by a goal or win the game while risking $275 to win $100.

Additionally, bettors who are interested in wagering on the total can risk $133 to win $100 by betting that more than five goals will be scored in the game. Those who bet that four or fewer goals will be scored will risk $100 to win $121. If five goals are scored in the game, all over/under bettors will push.

With the sport on its grandest stage, additional propositions are available to the betting public. While they are not as plentiful as Super Bowl betting props, Covers reports on several of the popular betting options that are available for Game 2.

One of those props includes whether the game will go into overtime or whether it will be decided in regulation. Bettors who believe it will take more than 60 minutes to decide the game will risk $100 to win $280, while those who are willing to bet that the game will be decided in three periods will risk $340 to win $100.

Prop bets on individual matchups are also available. Bettors can wager whether Steven Stamkos will score more points (goals plus assists) than Jonathan Toews or whether Tyler Johnson will score more than Patrick Kane. Both Tampa Bay players are favored over their Chicago counterparts.

Additional prop bets are available on whether both teams will top the 30.5 mark in shots on goal.

Money line	Puck line	Over/IUnder	Will game go into overtime?	Who will score more?	Who will score more?	Will Tampa Bay have 30.5 or more shots on goal?	Will Chicago have 30.5 or more shots on goal?
Chi. +120	Chi. -275 (+1.5 goals	Over 5 (-133)	Yes (+280)	Jonathan Toews (+105)	Patrick Kane (+105)	Yes (-110)	Yes (-110)
TB -130	TB +230 (-1.5 goals)	Under 5 (+121)	No (-340)	Steven Stamkos (-125)	Tyler Johnson (-125)	No (-110)	No (-110)

Game 2 Analysis

The Blackhawks made a statement by scoring two goals late in the third period to pull out Game 1 on the road.

The Lightning were widely criticized for not opening up more of a lead and putting more pressure on the visitors after Alex Killorn scored in the first period, but that's a fairly hollow complaint.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

While the Lightning could have put more pressure on Chicago in the third period, the home team dominated the action in the second and would have built a bigger lead if Corey Crawford had not held the fort. Crawford is a playoff-proven goaltender who makes big saves regularly and does an outstanding job of playing in the moment. He simply does not let mistakes bother him. 

The Blackhawks have a chance to win their third Stanley Cup in six years, and they have been through the playoff wars. They have an elite crew of veteran stars in Toews, Kane, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa and  Brent Seabrook, who have proved they know how to come through in crucial situations.

That group should be relaxed when it takes the ice Saturday night because it has already won a game at the Amalie Arena and has relieved some of the pressure that it faced since the Lightning have home-ice advantage in the series.

Tampa Bay needs to play the same kind of game it did in Game 1 and just find a way to finish one or two more chances. It certainly has the firepower with Stamkos, Johnson, Killorn, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, and the presence of Victor Hedman on the blue line also helps.

If the Lightning shooters can wait just a split second longer before they fire the puck, they will have a better chance of hitting the corners of the net and avoiding Crawford's midsection.

The Lightning will play with the proper amount of desperation and find a way to win the game and square the series.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 3, Chicago 1