2015 Stanley Cup Finals
1 2 3 4 5 6 Total Chicago Blackhawks 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 Tampa Bay Lightning 1 4 3 1 1 0 2
Location(s)	Chicago: United Center (3, 4, 6) Tampa: Amalie Arena (1, 2, 5)
Coaches	Chicago: Joel Quenneville Tampa Bay: Jon Cooper
Captains	Chicago: Jonathan Toews Tampa Bay: Steven Stamkos
National anthems	Chicago: Jim Cornelison Tampa Bay: Sonya Bryson-Kirksey
Referees	Wes McCauley (1, 3, 5) Kevin Pollock (1, 3, 5) Kelly Sutherland (2, 4, 6) Dan O'Halloran (2, 4, 6)
Dates	June 3–15, 2015
MVP	Duncan Keith[1] (Blackhawks)
Series-winning goal	Duncan Keith (17:13, second, G6)
Hall of Famers	Blackhawks: Marian Hossa (2020)
Networks	Canada: (English): CBC (French): TVA Sports United States: (English): NBC (1–2, 5–6), NBCSN (3–4)
Announcers	(CBC) Jim Hughson, Craig Simpson, and Glenn Healy (TVA) Felix Seguin and Patrick Lalime[2] (NBC/NBCSN) Mike Emrick, Eddie Olczyk (1, 3–6), and Pierre McGuire[3] (NHL International) Dave Strader and Kevin Weekes
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The 2015 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2014–15 season, and the culmination of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning four games to two to win their sixth championship in franchise history, and their third title in six seasons.

The Lightning, as the club with the better regular-season record, held home-ice advantage in the series. The best-of-seven series was played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, with Tampa Bay hosting Game 1, 2, and 5; and Chicago hosting Games 3, 4, and 6. Tampa Bay would have hosted Game 7 had it been needed. The series started June 3 and ended on June 15.^[4][5]

Tyler Johnson and Patrick Kane led the Stanley Cup playoffs in points scored with 23 points each.^[6]

Paths to the Finals

Tampa Bay Lightning

This was Tampa Bay's second Finals appearance after winning the Cup in 2004. Since their win in 2004, the Lightning had lost in the Conference Finals in 2011 in seven games to the Boston Bruins. The Lightning were eliminated in the first round in 2006, 2007, and 2014.

The Lightning entered the 2014–15 season with major re-signings during the offseason including centre Tyler Johnson, wingers Ryan Callahan and Ondrej Palat, and goalie Ben Bishop. In free agency, Tampa Bay picked up centre Brian Boyle and defenceman Anton Stralman from the New York Rangers and Brenden Morrow from the St. Louis Blues. The team made two trades to bolster the defence, picking up Jason Garrison at the 2014 draft and Braydon Coburn just before the 2015 trade deadline.

Tampa Bay compiled 108 points (50–24–8) during the regular season to finish in second place in the Atlantic Division. Centre and team captain Steven Stamkos finished second in goal-scoring during the regular season with 43 goals.^[7] Earlier in the season, Head Coach Jon Cooper nicknamed the team's second line of Johnson, Palat and winger Nikita Kucherov as the "Triplets" because they were so in sync;^[8] at the mid-season in January, the three players led the League in plus-minus.^[9]

In the playoffs, the Lightning eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games, the Montreal Canadiens in six games, and the New York Rangers in the Conference Finals in seven games. They became the first post-1967 expansion team to beat three Original Six teams on the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and the only team in NHL history to face an Original Six team at every stage of the playoffs.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Finals marked Chicago's third Final appearance in six seasons; having won the Cup in both 2010 and 2013. This was the team's 13th appearance overall, and they were seeking their sixth overall Cup championship.

The Blackhawks entered the 2014 offseason after being eliminated in the Conference Finals in seven games by the eventual 2014 Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. Major free agent acquisitions during the offseason included centre Brad Richards and winger Daniel Carcillo from the Rangers.^[10][11] Approaching the NHL trade deadline in early March, Chicago traded for defenceman Kimmo Timonen from the Philadelphia Flyers,^[12] centre Antoine Vermette from the Arizona Coyotes,^[13] and centre Andrew Desjardins from the San Jose Sharks.^[14]

Chicago finished in third place in the Central Division, earning 102 points (48–28–6). Goalie Corey Crawford tied the Canadiens' Carey Price as the William M. Jennings Trophy recipient for allowing a league-low 189 goals during the regular season.

In the playoffs, the Blackhawks eliminated the Nashville Predators in six games, swept the Minnesota Wild, and defeated the Anaheim Ducks in the Conference Finals in seven games. They became the only team in NHL history to face a post-1990 expansion team at every stage of the playoffs.

Game summaries

Number in parentheses represents the player's total goals or assists to that point of the entire four rounds of the playoffs

Game 1

In Game 1, Tampa Bay struck first with a deflected goal by Alex Killorn at 4:31 in the first period. The Lightning nursed the lead into the third period with a strong conservative defensive effort, but Teuvo Teräväinen and Antoine Vermette scored 118 seconds apart to win the game 2–1 for the Blackhawks. By assisting on Vermette's goal, Teravainen became the second-youngest player (at 20 years and 265 days) in NHL history, after Jaromír Jágr had two assists in Game 1 of the 1991 Finals (on May 15, 1991, at 19 years and 89 days), to have a multi-point game in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game 2

Jason Garrison's power play goal at 8:49 of the third period proved to be the difference in Tampa Bay's victory in Game 2. Lightning starting goaltender Ben Bishop had left the game moments earlier for reasons that were undisclosed at the time, but was later revealed to be a torn groin. He was replaced with Andrei Vasilevskiy who was credited with his first playoff victory. He also became the first goalie to win a Stanley Cup Finals game in relief of an injured starter since Lester Patrick helped the New York Rangers defeat the Montreal Maroons in overtime of Game 2 of the 1928 Stanley Cup Finals, 2–1.

Game 3

The series moved to Chicago for Game 3. There was some debate who would start for Tampa Bay, but regular starter Ben Bishop started the game for Tampa Bay. For the third time in a row, Tampa Bay struck first, on Ryan Callahan's slapshot goal at 5:09 of the first. Brad Richards tied it up on a power-play goal and the teams were tied after the first period. The first period was dominated by Chicago, who outshot Tampa Bay 19–7. The second period was dominated by Tampa Bay, which outshot Chicago 17–7, but there was no scoring. In the third period, Brandon Saad gave Chicago its first lead at 4:14, but Tampa Bay countered on the next shift on a goal by Ondrej Palat to tie the score once again. Late in the third period, Victor Hedman led a rush down ice for Tampa Bay and passed to Cédric Paquette who scored to put the Lightning ahead again. The Lightning were able to defend their lead to win the game 3–2 and take a series lead two games to one.