2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Stanley Cup Final prediction

Categories: -The Daily Gazette, Parting Schotts, Sports

Raise your hand if you predicted the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Dallas Stars playing for the Stanley Cup.

Now put your hands down, because I know you’re lying.

I, at least, had the Lightning reaching the Stanley Cup Final in my conference finals picks. But the Stars? Those pesky, we-love-to-play-from-behind Stars? They may be the story of this postseason.

I usually don’t like anything from Dallas (it’s that Eagles-Cowboys rivalry, you know). But the Stars have battled their way to the final. I can’t count the number of games they have trailed, and yet, found a way to win. They did it in each of their series-clinching wins against Calgary, Colorado and Vegas.

The Lightning is on a mission. They were the top team in the league last year, and then were unceremoniously swept out of the first round by the eighth-seeded Columbus Blue Jackets.

They got their revenge against the Blue Jackets in this year’s playoffs, then took out Boston and then a pesky New York Islanders squad.

After splitting my conference final picks to make my overall record 12-10, here is my prediction for the Stanley Cup Final that begins Saturday:

Lightning in 6.

On Twitter, follow Associate Sports Editor Ken Schott @slapschotts and Daily Gazette Sports @dgazettesports. Email Schott at [email protected] Listen to “The Parting Schotts Podcast” at https://dailygazette.com/sports/partingschotts, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Spotify and SoundCloud.