from Mike Rupp at The Players' Tribune,

On paper, it’s really hard to find a difference maker between Chicago and Tampa. It’s going to come down to the mental. Mental, mental, mental.

During the playoffs, and especially during the Finals, you’re in a vacuum. Everything you eat is for a purpose. You’re stretching before you go to bed. You’re not answering calls or texts. You’re not checking Twitter. Nothing matters but hockey. It’s pretty neat, honestly. Makes you enjoy the moment more. But here’s the thing: You can either look at the situation and see what their is to lose, or what there is to gain. When you’re playing not to be the dog, it’s a dangerous mindset.

All the commercials are going to focus on Toews, Kane, Stamkos, Hedman, and all the other superstars in his series. But I’m sitting here wondering who is going to be the Ken Daneyko for their team. That’s the secret sauce for a lot of Stanley Cup winners.

he best top-six in the NHL vs. The best top-six in the NHL. Seriously, I don’t know how you can say which team has the advantage here. Every time you blink in this series, another superstar forward is going to be hopping over the boards. It’s going to create an extremely fluid and complicated chess match for both coaches. But you know what? If I’m Lightning coach Jon Cooper, I’m not going to overcomplicate things. I’m going to roll my lines and tell my guys to go out there and play. This Tampa team reminds me a little bit of the Bad Boy Pistons. I don’t want to say they disrespect their opponents, but they play with supreme confidence in what they’re doing.

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