Stanley Cup Final Is Historically Evenly Matched
By Chris Emma--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The storyline entering this Stanley Cup Final was that the Blackhawks were looking in the mirror with their opponent, the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are so many similarities between the two teams.
Both Chicago and Tampa Bay boast immense skill and speed, can play a 200-foot game or cycle in the offensive zone and have reliable top defensemen to counter each other's attack.
But the evenness of these first four games has been improbable. To a historical level, in fact. Because the Blackhawks and Lightning have split wins at two games apiece, goals at nine each and are nearly even in shots on goal, with Chicago having a slight 107-104 edge.
The first four games have been decided by one goal for the first time since the 1968 Cup Final between Montreal and St. Louis. Adding to that, neither team has led by more than one goal at any point.
"You look at the first four games, it's been that close," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "Maybe the other team is supposed to win (any) game. But the fact that nobody's had a two-goal lead after four games speaks volumes about what we're talking about here. Hey, it's fast, it's quick, it can be unpredictable. It's two good hockey teams going at it. "
The Blackhawks evened the Cup Final with a 2-1 victory in Wednesday's Game 4 at the United Center, and now the 2-2 series is going back to Tampa for Game 5 on Saturday.
Oddly enough, each game has ended with an empty net and scramble in the final minutes in an attempt to tie the game.
"It's kind of funny to think it's been a really tight series, considering there's not been one game that's gone to overtime yet," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said.
Given how evenly matched this series has been, it's surprising that both teams' stars have remained fairly quiet. Toews tallied a goal in Game 4, but Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp have yet to find the net. Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos hasn't scored, either, and Tyler Johnson, the leading scorer of these Stanley Cup Playoffs, has just one goal in the series.
Both the Blackhawks and Lightning have received quality goal-tending, even with Tampa Bay rotating rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy with the injured Ben Bishop.
In the end, though, only one team can win two of the next three games and hoist the Cup.
"It's really tough for either team to separate themselves from the other in any of these games, which makes for entertaining hockey game," Toews said. "I think both teams are equally deserving so far."
Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.