After four games, what history says about what happens after game five of the Stanley Cup Final

TAMPA, Florida – With the continued mystery surrounding Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop’s injury and the offensive struggles of Patrick Kane, the Stanley Cup Final resumes with Game 5 in Florida. Each team is looking for an edge and the winner tonight will be just one win away from capturing Lord Stanley’s chalice.

The opening four games of the series have been decided by one goal, just the third such occurrence in Stanley Cup Final history (also in 1951 and 1968). Only one Stanley Cup Final has featured five consecutive one-goal games to open the series – the 1951 affair between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in which all five contests required overtime (TOR, 4-1). Overall, nine of the past 11 games between the Lightning and Blackhawks, including the regular season, have been decided by one goal dating to March 9, 2011 (TBL: 8-2-1, CHI: 3-4-4).

As for what history reveals about the winner of Game 5 after a split of the opening four contests of the Final, that team has gone on to capture the Stanley Cup 16 of 23 times (69.6%) since the series adopted the best-of-seven format in 1939. However, the club that has lost Game 5 has rebounded to win the series in four of the past seven occasions (all since 2001).

* In the most recent such occurrence, in 2013, the Blackhawks defeated the Bruins, 3-1, in Game 5 before ultimately winning the series in six contests.

* The four teams since 2001 that have rebounded to win the Stanley Cup after losing Game 5 in that scenario include the 2004 Lightning, who dropped Game 5 – 3-2 in OT (at home) – to the Flames before rallying for a seven-game series victory.

* The other three clubs to overcome a Game 5 loss in that scenario (since 2001): the 2001 Avalanche (vs. NJD), 2009 Penguins (vs. DET) and 2011 Bruins (vs. VAN).

A breakdown of the Stanley Cup Final through four games:

Games Played: 4 Wins by Team: CHI – 2, TBL – 2

Total Goals: 18 Goals by Team: CHI – 9, TBL – 9

Total Shots on Goal: 211 Shots on Goal by Team: CHI – 107, TBL – 104

Total Power-Play Goals: 3 Power-Play Goals by Team: CHI – 2/11, TBL – 1/11

A closer look at the goals scored in the series:

Total Goals: 18

Go-Ahead Goals: 7

Game-Tying Goals: 7

Game-Winning Goals: 4 Other Goals: 0

MORE GAME 5 NOTES

* Overall, the Lightning have led for 38.5% of total playing time in the Stanley Cup Final, while the Blackhawks have led for 10.4%. The teams have been tied for 51.1% of total playing time – the clubs have been tied or separated by one goal for the entire series.

* All four games in the Stanley Cup Final have been tied or within one goal entering the final five minutes of regulation, as have more than half of all contests this postseason (54 of 87, 62.1%).

* The winning goal has been scored in the third period in each game thus far in the Stanley Cup Final, including two in the final five minutes of regulation (Antoine Vermette at 15:26 in Game 1 and Cedric Paquette at 16:49 in Game 3).

* The Blackhawks are 41-14 in Games 4-7 since the start of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 7-2 record this year. Since 2012, they have won 17 of 21 contests in Games 5-7 (7-2 on the road).

* The Blackhawks have been tied 2-2 in eight previous series since the start of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including one other this year (CF vs. ANA). They are 16-1 in Games 5-7 of those series, with their lone such loss in Game 5 of this year’s Western Conference Final at ANA (5-4 OT L).

* The Lightning have been tied 2-2 in three of their four series this postseason (also in FR vs. DET and CF vs. NYR); they are 4-2 in Games 5-7, with both series going the distance.

Game 5 is set for Saturday night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Face-off is set for 8:00 PM ET and is being televised on NBC, CBC, TVA Sports. The schedule for the remaining games in the Stanley Cup Final are listed below.