2015 Stanley Cup Final: Chicago Blackhawks vs Tampa Bay Lightning
By Tim Redinger
Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks and Tampa Bay Lightning for making it to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final – who cares who it is brought to you by, we have finally reached the pinnacle of the playoffs.
For the average fan of the Buffalo Sabres – they really stopped caring about the on-ice product long before the end of the regular season, but for those that are constant fans of the sport, have continued to follow along, and we are now one step closer to the end of the 2014-2015 season, and the award of some of the finest hardware in all of professional sports.
2015 Stanley Cup Final – Western Conference Champions #3 Chicago Blackhawks
I haven’t given up hope that the Chicago Blackhawks are going to be the team to beat this year. The Western Conference is the stronger of the two conferences hands down, and the Chicago Blackhawks weren’t going to say die, even when it looked like the world was falling in on them.
With my final picks on this year’s calendar, I am staying with the favorites that I had tapped as the Stanley Cup Champions even before the season ended, the Blackhawks will win the 2015 Stanley Cup Final series in six games.
The Chicago Blackhawks are the total package, they have Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews – the one two forward punch that the Buffalo Sabres should have in place as early as next season with Evander Kane and Jack Eichel.
Chicago has experience, they have won two of the last five Stanley Cups, and this could be the last time the Chicago Blackhawks core are together, but the salary cap issues are always swirling around teams that are build to succeed – and Chicago was able to rebound from the last time they got themselves into cap trouble.
Wearing out the Chicago Blackhawks really isn’t an option – so what will it take to beat them in a seven game series?
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2015 Stanley Cup Final – Eastern Conference Champion #2 Tampa Bay Lightning
Last year seemed like it was going to be a good run for the Tampa Bay Lightning – except injuries prevented them from getting even a win in the playoffs.
Was it the injuries?
That question has seemed to be answered as they have succeeded in getting to the finals eh? Ben Bishop was the big injury that prevented any success last year, so this is his first year post season test. Does he have the icy stare that he needs to stare down a team that has won more than they have lost in the past five years?
It is a great story for hockey in non-traditional markets, great job for the Tampa Bay Lightning to inspire hockey in Florida. They have the talent to skate with the Chicago Blackhawks – but as the late great Herb Brooks once said – the legs feed the wolf boys, the legs feed the wolf. Tampa doesn’t have the legs to play the Chicago Blackhawks long term.
Of course – it could be a problem that the Tampa Bay Lightning need to institute ticket and apparel restrictions for the Stanley Cup Finals. I get it, it is really hard to establish more than a passing fan base in a state that exists for snow birds, and no one is really “from” there.
Tampa Bay isn’t the only team to block ticket purchases and red and black from Illinois – the Nashville Predators do it too.
Tampa Bay might be a feared team in the finals however, because they don’t have a lot of experience. Some would say you need the experience to win, others might say the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to let it all hang out.
What are the keys to the series going to be – and who will be the team that ends up on top? I say Chicago in six, what say you?
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