Chicago's Viktor Stalberg is averaging 10:52 of ice time in the playoffs, compared to 14:07 in the regular season. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
BOSTON -- Three storylines for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks on Hockey Night in Canada from TD Garden on Monday night (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7:30 p.m. ET). The series is tied at 1-1.
The Bruins scored a 2-1 win in overtime in Chicago on Saturday. Game 4 is set for Boston at the TD Garden on Wednesday.
1. What will Viktor Stalberg bring to the Blackhawks lineup in Game 3?
He will bring more speed. The Blackhawks believe they can beat the Bruins with speed. So Stalberg will replace Brandon Bollig on the fourth line. But after he scored nine goals in 47 regular-season games, the 27-year-old Stalberg has been a bust in the post-season with no goals in 15 outings.
But he hasn't been given quality minutes or an offensive role in the playoffs. Stalberg has averaged 10:52 of ice time in the playoffs, compared to 14:07 in the regular season.
2. Can the Blackhawks get their power play back on track?
A successful power play was not important in the Los Angeles Kings' run last spring (12 for 94, 12.8 per cent) nor the Boston Bruins' skate to the championship two years ago (10 for 88, 11.4 per cent). But with all the skill on the Blackhawks, they could use a lift from a power-play goal or two.
In Game 2, they appeared to get some good looks in their three man-advantage situations, but the Bruins did gain momentum off two penalty kills in the second period.
"We've got to play our game," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "At the same time we
felt the power play struggled, got ignited in the Detroit series, got us going. I think you've got to expect at some point some production there.
"I know that both sides, they're looking for their power play to get some production because there's not a lot of high-quality chances five-on-five. But at the same time we've got to look to maybe simplify it and play anything at the net, the second and third opportunities around there.
"The pretty plays aren't there. If we think the pretty plays are there with power plays, they evaporate quickly."
Boston has killed off 51 of 58 penalties and 22 in a row dating to Game 5 of the second round against the New York Rangers, including all six Chicago opportunities in the final. The Blackhawks have been even better in man-short situations, having killed off 59 of 63 penalties.
On the power-play front, the Bruins have gone 1-for-5 in the final, 8-for-50 overall. The Blackhawks have not scored a power-play goal in their last 15 opportunities and have gone 7-for-57 overall.
3. Can the Blackhawks prevail in a Game 3?
In Chicago's previous three series they have failed to win a Game 3. In the opening round, the Blackhawks dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime in Minnesota against the Wild. The Detroit Red Wings beat Chicago 3-1 at Joe Louis Arena in the second round. In the West final, the Kings defeated the Blackhawks 3-1 in Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Bruins are 3-0 in crucial Game 3s this spring. In Stanley Cup final history, teams that win Game 3 after a split in the first two games have gone on to win the championship 21 of 25 times (84 per cent).
The four teams who lost Game 3 in that scenario and prevailed to win the Stanley Cup were the 1964 Toronto Maple Leafs (seven games), 1989 Calgary Flames (six games), 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins (six games) and 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning (seven games).
"I'm going to tell you the same thing that I told everybody when we asked those questions about not being able to close: stats at this time of year don't mean a thing," Bruins coach Claude Julien said.
"No matter what we are, what they are, it's about winning this game tonight. I don't pay much attention to stats when it comes to that stuff. We've seen those things change. It just takes one game to change the stat."
Projected lineup for Chicago
Forwards
Brandon Saad -- Jonathan Toews -- Marian Hossa
Patrick Kane -- Michal Handzus -- Patrick Sharp
Bryan Bickell -- David Bolland -- Andrew Shaw
Viktor Stalberg -- Marcus Kruger -- Michael Frolik
Defence
Duncan Keith -- Brent Seabrook
Johnny Oduya -- Nicklas Hjalmarsson
Nick Leddy -- Michal Rozsival
Goaltender
Corey Crawford
Projected lineup for Boston
Forwards
Milan Lucic -- David Krejci -- Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Jaromir Jagr
Daniel Paille -- Chris Kelly -- Tyler Seguin
Kaspars Daugavins -- Rich Peverley -- Shawn Thornton
Defence
Zdeno Chara -- Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference -- Johnny Boychuk
Torey Krug -- Adam McQuaid
Goaltender
Tuukka Rask
Follow Tim Wharnsby on Twitter @WharnsbyCBC.
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
