NHL Stanley Cup Final 2020: Stars vs. Lightning Game 2 Odds, TV Info, Prediction

Anton Khudobin was easily the hero in Game 1 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

He was clutch, he was impenetrable and he was the difference maker.

All told, the Russian goaltender had 35 saves, including 22 in the third period and some that were highlight-reel worthy.

The Wall of Khudobin, along with goals from Jason Dickinson, Joel Hanley, Joel Kiviranta and Jamie Oleksiak helped the Dallas Stars to a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on the NHL bubble ice to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Dallas will be playing for its second Stanley Cup, while Tampa Bay will be out for its first, so this is going to be a can't-miss matchup.

Even though the oddsmakers have the Lightning winning Game 2, they will likely have to do so without their captain, Steven Stamkos, who is working his way back to play in the Final.

If Tampa Bay can even the best-of-seven series, things will get interesting when Stamkos makes his return.

Game 2 Information

Date: Monday, September 21

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: NBC Sports Network

Livestream: NBCSN

Odds: (DraftKings Sportsbook) Dallas (+123; bet $100 to win $123), Tampa Bay (-143; bet $143 to win $100)

To Win Stanley Cup

Tampa Bay (-118)

Dallas (+130)

Predictions

The only puck to get by Khudobin on Saturday night was from Yanni Gourde in the first period.

It was a weird double deflection off Gourde and Roope Hintz' skates that somehow got into the net.

After that, nothing got by the Conn Smythe trophy favorite.

To pull even, the Lightning will need to cut down on the errors, make some pushes and try to thwart the Russian goalie's and the Stars' elite-level defense.

"They’re a good defensive team; they have been for a couple of years now," Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told Diana C. Nearhos of the Tampa Bay Times. "Basically, they defend well, they get in lanes and they make it hard on you. When you do get your opportunities, you have to capitalize."

That means getting past the fog of playing the New York Islanders and the frustrations of their Game 1 loss to the Stars.

"We all know we're capable of playing better and executing passes and playing a skating game much more so than we did in Game 1," Lightning winger Blake Coleman said.

Forward Patrick Maroon will also need to keep his emotions in check. Tampa Bay will need his toughness and leadership if they want to rebound and make it a series.

"I know where I'm at in my career. I know my responsibility, I'm playing on the fourth line with Cedric Paquette," Maroon told Jason Hills of the Tampa Bay Times. "We've done a good job (in the playoffs) of managing the puck. If it's seven-and-a-half minutes or 12 minutes, we just have to continue to grow as a line.

"If we can find ways to score a goal, that's a plus, but if we can find ways to wear their 'D' down and get the puck in the offensive zone and find ways to wear them out and get second and third opportunities, we're doing our job."

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