How to Watch 2020 Stanley Cup Final Game 1: Live Stream, TV Channel Info

In a 2019-20 NHL season that has been unorthodox, it's only fitting that it will end with an atypical Stanley Cup Final.

The two teams competing in this year's final aren't among the recent Cup champions. The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't won it since 2004, while the Dallas Stars last captured it in 1999. One of those droughts will soon be coming to an end.

Here's everything else you need to know as the Lightning and Stars prepare to face off in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

2020 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Information

Date: Saturday, Sept. 19

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live

Game 1 Preview

Every team wants to get off to a strong start in the opening game of a best-of-seven series. If they quickly fall behind, there won't be a ton of time for them to bounce back, making that deficit harder to overcome.

However, both the Lightning and Stars have had Game 1 losses this postseason. Tampa Bay dropped the opener of its second-round series against the Boston Bruins, but it bounced back with four straight victories. Dallas lost Game 1 of its first-round series against the Calgary Flames (and later trailed 2-1) but ended with three straight wins to end it in six games.

Still, a Game 1 win could be the confidence boost that either team needs to help propel it to the Stanley Cup.

Although this year's Stanley Cup Final is being held in the NHL bubble city of Edmonton, there's still plenty of excitement heading into this matchup for the players.

"For the most part the hockey is the same, the level of hockey, the compete level, it's all the same," Stars right winger Corey Perry said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "When we came back from the pause we were thinking that we were coming to Edmonton to win the Stanley Cup."

And Dallas may be peaking at just the right time in order to make that happen. The Stars have won five of their past six games, which includes a five-game series victory over the top-seeded Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Of those five wins, three have come in overtime, showcasing Dallas' ability to pull out wins in close games.

However, the Lightning could prove to be the Stars' biggest test yet. Although Tampa Bay didn't complete its six-game series win over the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Final until Thursday (while Dallas has been resting since Monday night), it's a strong well-rounded team that is 14-5 this postseason and has yet to lose consecutive games.

The Lightning have been a bit banged up, as center Brayden Point missed Games 3 and 5 of the Eastern Conference Final with an unspecified injury. But reinforcements could be on the way, as there's a chance that center Steven Stamkos, who has missed the entire postseason through injury, could return at some point in the series.

"He's still rehabbing," Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "We haven't ruled him out."

Even if Stamkos returns, this still could be a defensive series. The Lightning have allowed only four goals over their past three games, while the Stars gave up only eight total goals in their five-game series against the Golden Knights. So, don't be surprised if Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is a competitive, low-scoring affair.