Winslow Townson/Associated Press
After the Dallas Stars crushed the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Bolts came back to even the series by holding off a Dallas comeback in a 3-2 Game 2 victory. With the series lead on the line, Game 3 gets underway on Wednesday night.
Stanley Cup Final Game 3
Matchup: Dallas Stars vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m. ET
Pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m., NHL Overtime to follow the game
TV: NBCSN
Streaming: NBCSports.com
The Lightning are still without captain Steven Stamkos, who hasn’t played since the restart due to a lower body injury, but participated in morning skate ahead of the Lightning’s Game 2 victory. The 30-year-old amassed 66 points by way of 29 goals and 37 assists through 57 games when he was healthy this year.
His return would only bolster a Lightning offense that already has the top two skaters in playoff scoring, Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, with 28 and 26 points respectively. In addition to scoring power, Stamkos brings motivation to the Stanley Cup Final. He was with the Lightning when they fell in the Final in 2015, and departed in the Eastern Conference Finals to champions Pittsburgh (2016) and Washington (2018).
Offensively, Dallas has countered with John Klingberg and Jamie Benn, who are tied for seventh and eighth in playoff scoring with 19 and 18 points this postseason. But Benn and center Tyler Seguin have been quiet in the Stanley Cup Final and haven’t produced a point. Seguin hasn’t scored a goal since Aug. 26.
As the Lightning search for their first series lead of the Cup Final, the Stars offensive powers will need to find a spark.
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