Tampa Bay Lightning

Stanley Cup Final will pit Lightning against Blackhawks

Published May. 30, 2015 11:08 p.m. ET

foxsports

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Stanley Cup Final stands set: The Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks will meet for a chance to hoist the NHL's largest prize.

The Blackhawks made the matchup possible Saturday in beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 at the Honda Center to close out the Western Conference Finals in seven games. The Lightning, meanwhile, enjoyed rest after earning a spot in their second Stanley Cup Final with a victory over the New York Rangers on Friday at Madison Square Garden in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The series begins next Wednesday with Game 1 at Amalie Arena.

"I've watched this team get pushed against the wall, when you watch this team give up five, and five, and seven, the other night," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters Friday. "But they just answer the challenge. Every time we as a staff go in and challenge them, they respond."

Another challenge awaits the Lightning with the Blackhawks. Chicago will make its third Stanley Cup Final appearance in six seasons, after the first two berths resulted in championships in 2010 and 2013. This season marks the seventh consecutive postseason appearance for the Blackhawks, who split two meetings with the Lightning in the most recent campaign.

"It was a great feeling," Lightning center Alex Killorn told reporters Friday about clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Final. "I know with a lot of the guys on our team, especially being Rangers last year, I know they really wanted this. ... We know this is a special group."

Tampa Bay will enjoy home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning closed with 108 points in the regular season, and the Blackhawks had 102. Tampa Bay won an NHL-best 32 games at home in the regular season.

The matchup for the anticipated last step has been determined. Let the fun begin.

SEASON SERIES

Nov. 11 at Chicago: Blackhawks 3, Lightning 2 (shootout)

Patrick Kane made the decisive shootout goal, lifting Chicago to victory after Tampa Bay took the game into the extra periods after a shot by Nikita Kucherov in the third. The Blackhawks outshot the Lightning, 39-27.

Feb. 27 at Tampa Bay: Lightning 4, Blackhawks 0

Ben Bishop had 28 saves, and Steven Stamkos produced two goals in the Lightning's rout. Tampa Bay broke open a scoreless game after the first period with two goals each in the second and third. Brian Boyle and Ryan Callahan also scored.

You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.

Get more from Tampa Bay Lightning Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Tampa Bay Lightning