NHL Stanley Cup Final 2020: Lightning vs. Stars TV Schedule, Predictions

Just when it appeared things might be going bad for the Tampa Bay Lightning this postseason, they found a way to get back on course. They were banged up in the Eastern Conference Final and had only one day off between series. But the Lightning lead the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final 2-1.

After dropping Game 1, the Lightning were in a three-game rut in front of net, tallying only four goals. But the Bolts rediscovered their scoring touch, putting up eight goals between Games 2 and 3 to take control of the series.

Tampa Bay will look to keep that going in Friday's Game 4. And if it grabs another victory, it could win its first Stanley Cup since 2004 as soon as Saturday. However, Dallas has been resilient this postseason, so don't write off the chance of another momentum swing.

Here's a look at the schedule for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Final, followed by predictions for how the rest of the series will go.

Stanley Cup Final Picture

Game 1: Dallas won 4-1

Game 2: Tampa Bay won 3-2

Game 3: Tampa Bay won 5-2

Game 4: Friday at 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Game 5: Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Game 6 (if necessary): Monday at 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Game 7 (if necessary): Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Upcoming Stanley Cup Final Preview, Predictions

The Lightning's five goals in Game 3 were scored by five players. Center Brayden Point grabbed a team-high 11th goal of the postseason. Defenseman Victor Hedman and left winger Ondrej Palat both scored their 10th. Right winger Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist to boost his team-high postseason points total to 30. And captain Steven Stamkos scored a goal.

Yes: Stamkos was back. The Lightning made it this deep into the postseason and have had this much success without their captain. And although he played only two minutes, 47 seconds, that was enough for him to get on the scoresheet during his first appearance since Feb. 25.

While it's unclear how much Stamkos will play in this series moving forward, his return to the ice may have provided Tampa Bay a morale boost (on top of his goal-scoring contribution).

"I think that the cheer was just a little bit louder," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of Stamkos' goal, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "You watch the kid, what he's done for the last, god, how many months? And for him to be able to do that, I don't know. I think however Stammer was feeling at that moment, all the players expressed it on the bench."

Tampa Bay appears to be feeling good, and it's now finding ways to get shots past Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin, who had been on a roll since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. However, now that the Lightning's offense is ticking, it's going to be hard to stop.

That's why the Bolts will go on to win the Stanley Cup Final in six games, riding this momentum to another win in Game 4. Dallas won't go without a fight, taking Game 5, but the Lightning will respond in Game 6 to capture the franchise's second Stanley Cup.

Because Tampa Bay has a 2-1 lead, Dallas would need to win consecutive games at some point during the series to win the Cup. The Lightning have lost six times this postseason, and each time, they have bounced back with a win.

It's been an exciting and unique postseason. Tampa Bay has been strong for most of it, which should lead it to the Stanley Cup.