Lightning vs. Blackhawks Live Stream Schedule, Odds and Pre-Game 4 Comments

The feeling-out process in the Stanley Cup Final is over, and the favored Chicago Blackhawks find themselves trailing 2-1 as they prepare to host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center Wednesday night in Game 4.  

If the Blackhawks are going to repeat what they have done in the past, they will find success throughout the remainder of the series. Chicago does not always play well in the early games in a playoff series, but they almost always respond in the late going.

They trailed the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in the Western Conference Final before winning three of the last four games to clinch the series.

The Blackhawks were in a similar position in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, but they responded by winning the final three games of the series.

Since 2010, the Blackhawks are 26-25 in Games 1-3 of any playoff series. However, they are 35-11 in Games 4-7 over that same time frame. 

As a result of that past success, the Blackhawks remain confident as they prepare for Game 4. However, those numbers alone are not going to help them beat the quick, athletic and skilled Lightning. Tampa Bay responded with two third-period goals Monday night in Game 3 to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews has just one assist in the first three games of the series, while running mate Patrick Kane has not registered any points. Toews knows the Blackhawks are not where they want to be after three games, but he is confident the team has the ability to turn the Stanley Cup Final around. 

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

“You’re not always going to be in complete control of a series,” Toews told Ken Campbell of the Hockey News. “We’ve been up in series, we’ve been down in some series, especially this year. Here we are down 2-1. I think we’re confident we can go out there and find a way to even it up tomorrow night.”

If they are going to square the series, Toews and Kane have to find a way to put a few pucks past Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop. While Bishop appears to be favoring his left knee and has had some trouble moving laterally, he was sharp in the Game 3 win, stopping 36 of 38 shots.

While the Blackhawks' superstars have been kept in check, the Lightning are waiting for Steven Stamkos to break into the scoring column as well. Stamkos has yet to put the puck past Corey Crawford, although he has been in the middle of the action and is coming off of a Game 3 in which he had two shots on goal and a number of other opportunities.

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

Victor Hedman has placed himself in the running for the Conn Smythe Trophy with his play against the Blackhawks. In addition to playing stellar defense, Hedman is coming off of a two-assist performance. One of those assists set up Cedric Paquette with the game-winning goal in the final minutes of the third period.

The Swedish defenseman has impressed countryman and former Red Wing defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom with his play in the postseason. 

"It's great to see him develop into the type of player that he had great potential of being," Lidstrom told Dan Rosen of NHL.com. "He's only 24 years old too, so he hasn't even hit his prime yet and he's playing like a veteran out there."

If the Blackhawks are going to bounce back and live up to previous playoff heroics, Toews and Kane are going to have to figure out a way to get the best of Hedman and create more scoring opportunities at key moments.

For those interested in wagering on Game 4, Chicago is a 20-31 favorite to even the series according to Odds Shark, while the Lightning are 29-20 underdogs. Chicago backers have to risk $155 to win $100, while Lightning supporters will put $100 on the line to win $145. The over/under in the game is 5.5.

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra 

Game	Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV
4	Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks	June 10	8 p.m.	NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
5	Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning	June 13	8 p.m.	NBC, CBC, TVA Sports
6	Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks (if necessary)	June 15	8 p.m.	NBC, CBC, TVA Sports
7	Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning (if necessary)	June 17	8 p.m.	NBC, CBC, TVA Sports