* The Blackhawks also improved to 17-1 in Games 5-7 of series in which they have been tied at 2-2 since the start of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their lone such loss was in Game 5 of this year’s Western Conference Final at ANA (5-4 OT L).

* The Blackhawks improved to 11-2 in their last 13 Game 5s dating to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final (7-4 W vs. PHI). Their two such losses both came this year, in the First Round at NSH (5-2 L) and Western Conference Final at ANA (5-4 OT L).

* The Blackhawks improved to 7-5 on the road this postseason, including wins in three of their past four contests as visitors dating to Game 7 of the Western Conference Final at ANA (5-3 W). The club record for road wins in one playoff year is eight, established when the Blackhawks captured the Stanley Cup in 2010 (8-3).

* The Blackhawks improved to 11-1 when scoring first this postseason. Their lone such loss was in Game 5 of the First Round at NSH (5-2 L).

TEAMS CONTINUE TO CONTEST HISTORICALLY CLOSE SERIES
* The Blackhawks and Lightning played their fifth consecutive one-goal game to open the Stanley Cup Final. Only one previous Stanley Cup Final has featured five straight one-goal games to begin the series – the 1951 affair between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in which all five contests required overtime (TOR, 4-1).

* Overall, 10 of the past 12 games between the Blackhawks and Lightning – including the regular season – have been decided by one goal dating to March 9, 2011 (CHI: 4-4-4, TBL: 8-3-1).

* On top of every game being decided by one goal, the Blackhawks and Lightning have been tied or separated by one goal for the entire series (300:00). This marks the first Stanley Cup Final in which neither team has held a multi-goal lead at any point in the opening five games of the series.

* All five 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 (55 of 88, 62.5%).

* 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 and Lightning were tied after two periods for the third consecutive game. The Blackhawks improved to 6-2 in that scenario this postseason, while the Lightning fell to 4-2 – their two such losses both came in the past two games of the Stanley Cup Final.

* The Blackhawks also improved to 11-4 in one-goal games during the playoffs; the Lightning dropped to 6-6.

GAME 5 TRENDS
The team that has won Game 5 after a split of the opening four contests of the Final 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.

Per Elias, the road club has won Game 5 six previous times in that scenario. Of those six teams, two ultimately won the Stanley Cup in Game 6 (NYR in 1940 at TOR and TOR in 1967 vs. MTL); the other four lost the series in seven contests.

In 2004, the most recent such instance when the road team won Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final after the series was tied at 2-2, the Lightning – who lost Game 5 at home – rebounded with wins in Games 6 (3-2 in 2OT) and 7 (2-1) vs. CGY to capture their first championship in franchise history.

VERMETTE (AGAIN) PROVIDES WINNING GOAL FOR BLACKHAWKS
Antoine Vermette continued his playoff heroics with his second game-winning goal in Stanley Cup Final (also at 15:26 of the 3rd period in Game 1) and third overall this postseason.

* Vermette has accounted for three of the Blackhawks’ past six game-winning goals (in 9 GP), including the double-overtime tally in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final vs. ANA.

* Prior to his three game-winning goals in his past nine outings, Vermette had one such strike in his first 68 career playoff appearances.

* Vermette became the first player to record multiple game-winning goals in the Stanley Cup Final since 2013, when Bruins forward Daniel Paille did so in Games 2 (2-1 OT W) and 3 (2-0 W) vs. CHI.

* Elias adds that Vermette, who was acquired prior to the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline, became the sixth player in NHL history to register two game-winning goals in Stanley Cup Final after joining his team midseason. The others to do so: Maple Leafs forwardAndy Bathgate in 1964 (began season with NYR), Rangers forward Glenn Andersonin 1994 (TOR), Devils forward Neal Broten in 1995 (DAL), Mighty Ducks forwardSteve Thomas in 2003 (CHI) and Kings forward Jeff Carter in 2012 (CBJ).

* Vermette also won eight of 11 face-offs (72.7%), raising his series total to 42 of 64 (65.6%). Overall, he has won 58.7% of face-offs during the postseason (155 of 264).

* “Right off the get-go, [joining the Blackhawks] was a great opportunity for me,” Vermette said. “I want to make the best out of it. This is a good group. Obviously, a special team. I’m glad I’m here to try to help the team. This is all fun right now. But there’s a lot of work still ahead.”

KEITH NEARS MINUTES MILESTONE
Duncan Keith again led all players with 29:23 of time on ice. He needs just 14:42 more of ice-time to become the fourth skater to log 700 minutes in one playoff year (since time on ice was introduced as an official stat in 1998).

Most Time on Ice, One Playoff Year (since 1998)
747:33 – Drew Doughty, LAK, 2014^
742:55 – Chris Pronger, EDM, 2006
717:01 – Nicklas Lidstrom, DET, 2002^
696:08 – Sergei Zubov, DAL, 1999^
690:49 – Dennis Seidenberg, BOS, 2011^
687:40 – Robyn Regehr, CGY, 2004
685:18 – Duncan Keith, CHI, 2015
^ Won Stanley Cup

QUICK HITS
* Goaltender Corey Crawford (31 SV) improved to 44-29 in 75 career playoff appearances, all with the Blackhawks (2.26 GAA, .920 SV%, 4 SO). His 44 postseason victories are one shy of matching the franchise record, held by Tony Esposito (45-53).

* Lightning forward Valtteri Filppula scored the club’s lone goal at 10:53 of the second period. It stood as his fifth career goal in the Stanley Cup Final (18 GP) and first since Game 5 in 2009 vs. PIT (w/ DET).

* Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp snapped a 13-game drought with his first goal since Game 2 of the Second Round vs. MIN. He now has 42 goals in 116 career playoff games with the Blackhawks, which ranks sixth in franchise history behind Bobby Hull(62), Denis Savard (61), Stan Mikita (59), Patrick Kane (47) and Steve Larmer (45).

* Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop made 27 saves in his return between the pipes, but fell to 13-10 this postseason (2.18 GAA, .920 SV%, 3 SO).

* Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teravainen registered one assist to move into sole possession of first place in rookie scoring during the playoffs (4-6—10 in 17 GP), one point ahead of Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau (4-5—9 in 11 GP). Teravainen also surpassed his point total from the regular season (4-5—9 in 34 GP).

* Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman again led the club in time on ice (23:38). He ranks second in total time on ice during the playoffs (597:40), behind only Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (685:18).

AS CLOSE AS IT GETS
A breakdown of the Stanley Cup Final through five games:

Games Played: 5
Wins by Team: CHI – 3, TBL – 2
Total Goals: 21
Goals by Team: CHI – 11, TBL – 10
Total Shots on Goal: 272
Shots on Goal by Team: CHI – 136, TBL – 136
Total Power-Play Goals: 3
Power-Play Goals by Team: CHI – 2/13, TBL – 1/12
Total Blocked Shots: 154
Blocked Shots by Team: CHI – 78, TBL – 76

A closer look at the goals scored in the series:

Total Goals: 21
Go-Ahead Goals: 8
Game-Tying Goals: 8
Game-Winning Goals: 5
Other Goals: 0

DID YOU KNOW?
The Lightning played host to the Blackhawks at Amalie Arena on Saturday, while MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays welcomed the Chicago White Sox to Tropicana Field.

Per research by the Rays, it marked the first time since May 9, 1971, that a city/market hosted both a Stanley Cup Final game and MLB game between teams from the same cities on the same day. On that date in 1971, the Canadiens defeated the Blackhawks, 4-2, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at the Montreal Forum, while MLB’s Montreal Expos defeated the Chicago Cubs, 7-3, at Jarry Park. The Canadiens ultimately won the Stanley Cup that year in seven games (3-2 W in Game 7 at CHI).

PLAYER BLOGS ON NHL.COM
Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins and Lightning defenseman Jason Garrisonhave been blogging for NHL.com throughout the Stanley Cup Final, offering insight on what’s happening inside the locker room as well as within the confines of the rink.

Click on the respective links to view the latest entries by Desjardins and Garrison.

LOOSE PUCKS
After leading the NHL and setting franchise records with 32 home wins and 65 home points during the regular season, the Lightning fell to 6-7 at Amalie Arena during the playoffs – including losses in four of their past five such outings dating to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final vs. NYR . . . After registering just two shots on goal in the first period of Game 4 – their lowest single-period total of the postseason – the Blackhawks jumped out to a quick start in Game 5, matching their opening-period shot total from Game 4 by the 1:10 mark; outshooting the Lighting 7-0 in the first 3:22; owning advantages of 11-2 in shots on goal and 8-1 in face-offs by the time Patrick Sharpopened the scoring at 6:11; and finishing the first period with a 14-5 shots on goal advantage . . . ICYMI: The Canadiens signed defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to a two-year contract extension.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the above information.