Stanley Cup Finals Game Three Preview For 9/23/2020

Sep 23, 2020 - 1:02 PM ET

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Tampa is favored in Game Three with the over/under set at five

These two teams have proven they belong in the Stanley Cup Finals. Both squads entered the playoffs as one of the top teams in the conference. Following the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, the Lightning emerged as the number two seed in the east while the Stars entered the postseason as the third-ranked team in the West. Some people claim that this postseason will have an asterisk next to it, but, at the end of the day, one of these teams will prove that they are the best franchise in the NHL. The winner of this series deserves to be called a champion.

Tampa had a tough road to get here. The Lightning had to go up against the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second consecutive year in the playoffs. Instead of being swept, Tampa took care of business, eliminating the Blue Jackets in five games. After that, the Bolts faced one of the best teams in the NHL when they faced-off against the Boston Bruins in the second round of the playoffs. Despite Boston finishing with the most regular-season points in the NHL, the Lightning were able to bounce the Bruins out of the playoffs in just five games. Lastly, Tampa downed the New York Islanders in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Lightning hope to continue their magical run against the Stars as the series is tied one game apiece headed into tonight.

The Dallas Stars arguably had an even more difficult journey to the Stanley Cup than Tampa. The Stars had to match-up with Johnny Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames in the first round of the playoffs. Despite losing two of the first three games, Dallas would go on to win its next three outings against the Flames, giving them the eventual 4-2 series victory. After that, Dallas faced the team I thought was the best in the West: the Colorado Avalanche. That series ended up going seven games. In Game Seven, Dallas’ Joel Kiviranta scored a goal after almost seven minutes of overtime play to complete the hat trick and give the Stars the victory, earning them a spot in the Western Conference Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights. It was there that goalie Anton Khudobin showed out, allowing just eight goals in five games to lift the Stars over the Golden Knights. Now, Dallas finds itself in the Stanley Cup for just the third time in team history. Game Three will go a long way in determining who will end up winning the NHL Championship.

So far, the series is tied at one game apiece. Game One was dominated by the Lightning almost the whole way through. Tampa recorded more shots on goal and more hits than Dallas. However, mental errors proved to be the Lightning’s downfall in that contest. The Bolts recorded ten turnovers in the game while being held to just two takeaways. Furthermore, the power-play registered zero goals in three attempts. As a result of the sloppy play, the Stars wound up winning Game One by a final score of 4-1. Anton Khudobin once again played a huge role in Dallas’ win, registering 35 saves on 36 shot attempts. In Game Two, the outcome was completely different. The Lightning wound up winning that matchup 3-2. All three of Tampa’s goals were scored in the first period, so the team was able to sit back and play good defense after taking the early lead. Also, the power play was far more effective in Game Two for the Bolts. The team would score two times on four power-play chances. Dallas did manage to make things interesting, scoring goals in the second and third periods to make it a one-score game. In the end, though, Tampa was able to hold strong for the victory.

Dallas is going to have to stop making silly mental errors if they want to take home the cup. The Stars have been short-handed 91 times in the postseason, way more than the next closest team which is Tampa at 74. As a result, the team has allowed 16 power-play goals, the most of any team that qualified for the postseason. This is a recipe for disaster when going up against an offensive Juggernaut like Tampa Bay who has scored 12 power-play goals in 21 games. It is also worth noting that Dallas has been called for 99 minor penalties this postseason. The Stars will have to play more disciplined if they want to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Otherwise, this series will be over in five games.

At this point, I look at this series as a coin-flip decision. There are valid arguments for picking both teams to win the Stanley Cup. With that being said, I am still sticking with the Tampa Bay Lightning. I believe they will win the cup in six games because their offense is stellar, and Andrei Vasilevskiy has been lights out so far in the playoffs. The guy is allowing less than two goals per game this postseason. I think the Lightning have the formula they need to beat the Stars following an impressive showing in Game Two. Give me Tampa in Game Three and take the over too.

Lightning 4 – Stars 2