Lightning vs. Blackhawks: Records & Stanley Cup Preview

The Stanley Cup Final is finally set.

After both conference championships went the distance of 7 games, it’ll be the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. the Chicago Blackhawks battling it out for the NHL’s biggest prize.

In the Western Conference, Jonathan Toews scored twice early in the 1st period, Patrick Kane had 3 assists and the visiting Blackhawks went on to a 5-3 victory Saturday night to clinch a spot in the Final.

The Lightning punched their ticket by beating the New York Rangers in their own Game 7 on Friday night in Madison Square Garden.

Chicago won the 2013 and 2010 Stanley Cups and owns 5 overall. Tampa Bay is 1-for-1 in the championship series, taking the title in their only appearance in 2004.

During the 2014-15 regular season, the teams split 2 games. Chicago won 3-2 in a home shootout back in November, while Tampa cruised to a 4-0 victory in February.

Game 1 of the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final begins on Wednesday, June 3. The puck drops at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Keep reading for a glance at the Lightning-Blackhawks matchup:

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Tampa Bay Lightning

Regular Season Record: 50-24-8 (108 points, 3rd in the East)

Home/Away Records: Home – 32-8-1 ; Road – 18-16-7

Regular Season Goals For/Goals Against: GF 262 ; GA 211

Road to the Stanley Cup Final: 4-3 over Detroit; 4-2 over Montreal; 4-3 over New York Rangers

Playoff Leading Scorers: Tyler Johnson (21 points), Johnson (12 goals), Nikita Kucherov (10 assists), Ben Bishop (2.15 goals against)

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Goalkeeper Ben Bishop is allowing just 2.15 goals per contest in the playoffs, slightly better than his 2.32 through the regular season.

Behind regular-season team leading scorer Steven Stamkos, Johnson and Kucherov, the Lightning led the NHL with 3.16 goals per game, though that has dipped to 2.75 in the postseason.

Tampa Bay also leads all teams with 16 power play goals in the playoffs.

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Chicago Blackhawks

Regular Season Record: 48-28-6 (102 points, 4th in the West)

Home/Away Records: Home – 24-12-5 ; Road – 24-16-1

Regular Season Goals For/Goals Against: GF 229 ; GA 189

Road to the Stanley Cup Final: 4-2 over Nashville; 4-0 over Minnesota; 4-3 over Anaheim

Playoff Leading Scorers: Patrick Kane (20 points), Kane (10 goals), Duncan Keith (16 assists), Scott Darling (2.22 goals against), Corey Crawford (2.62 goals against)

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Goalie Corey Crawford hadn’t been spectacular, but he was in Saturday’s series clincher, stopping 35 shots.

Besides, Chicago had been scoring 3.19 goals per game in the postseason anyway.

RW Patrick Kane (20), C Jonathan Toews (18) and D Duncan Keith (18) have combined for 56 points in the playoffs. Kane’s 10 playoff goals are second-most behind Tampa’s Tyler Johnson and Keith’s 16 assists are second to Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf (17).

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