“This is very exciting. It is something I was looking forward to. I’ve been saying all along this is a great opportunity. Trying to make the best out of it. We have a good group, great players. This is a very exciting moment. Every time you have a chance to play at that time of the year, this is something you want to grab and take advantage of it.” – Blackhawks forward Antoine Vermette

“We’re here for a reason. I think we’re a really good team. We need to be able to understand that we can lock it down by playing our game, skating forward, forechecking, taking the puck out of their hands. They’re a really good team, too, if you give them too much time and space. They can hurt you.” – Lightning forward Brian Boyle

“I think there’s always a feeling in our locker room when we’re down a goal or couple of goals that we might come back. There’s always a feeling. I think it’s just a great thing to have there.” – Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teravainen

“We respect everybody, but there’s no fear in the room. Especially after playing [Wednesday] night’s game, when you’re feeling out your opponent a little bit . . . We got a taste of who we were playing against. It’s probably in our style. This is four series; third one where we’ve lost Game 1. We’ve never made it easy on ourselves. But we came here to win this thing, and that’s what we’re going to try to do.” – Lightning head coach Jon Cooper

“I thought Game 1 we weren’t quick enough to begin. I think we found out how fast they really are. Certainly got our attention. When you’re down in the third period, you’re pressing. I’m not saying gambling, but you’re pushing the envelope. We got a couple of breaks. But there’s not a lot of room out there, not a lot of time. But I think our team realizes now everything’s got to be fast, quicker. The strength of our team is finding ways to win. [Wednesday] was a good example.” – Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville

GARRISON, DESJARDINS BLOGS ON NHL.COM
Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison and Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardinswill be blogging for NHL.com throughout the 2015 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 Garrison and Desjardins.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Click here for an all-access look at Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

DID YOU KNOW?
The Blackhawks overcame a third-period deficit to defeat the Lightning, 2-1, in Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.

Dating to Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final – which also featured the Blackhawks – five of the past seven Stanley Cup Final games have seen the victorious team overcome a deficit at any point in the contest, including four in the third period.

Last Seven Stanley Cup Final Games, Dating to 2013
2015: Game 1 – CHI 2 at TBL 1 (CHI trailed 1-0 in 3rd period)
2014: Game 5 – NYR 2 at LAK 3 (2OT) (LAK trailed 2-1 in 3rd period)
2014: Game 4 – LAK 1 at NYR 2*
2014: Game 3 – LAK 3 at NYR 0*
2014: Game 2 – NYR 4 at LAK 5 (2OT) (LAK trailed 4-2 in 3rd period)
2014: Game 1 – NYR 2 at LAK 3 (OT) (LAK trailed 2-0 in 1st period)
2013: Game 6 – CHI 3 at BOS 2 (CHI trailed 2-1 in 3rd period)
* Winning team did not trail.

>>> Including Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, the Blackhawks have led for a combined 5:33 in their last two Stanley Cup Final games (out of 120:00 total) – both wins.

>>> The last two Stanley Cup winners have trailed for more time than they have led during the course of the series. The Blackhawks led for 21.0% of total playing time in 2013 (BOS: 23.1%) and the Kings led for 18.8% of total playing time in 2014 (NYR: 30.0%).

>>> The Kings, who won Games 1 and 2 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final vs. NYR, did not hold the lead in either contest until scoring the decisive goal in overtime.

GAME 1 DRAWS STRONG RATINGS ON NBC
Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final produced a 3.34 household rating and averaged 5.547 million viewers, making it the most-watched Game 1 that did not require overtime in 18 years and NBC’s second most-watched Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final ever.

Viewership of Game 1 was up 16% compared to Game 1 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final between the Kings and Rangers (4.785 million viewers). The only Game 1 on NBC to surpass Wednesday’s viewership was Game 1 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final between the Blackhawks and Bruins, which was decided in triple-overtime (6.315 million viewers).

The game peaked with 6.433 million viewers from 10:30 – 10:45 p.m. ET.

COMPETITION COMMITTEE SUGGESTS RULES CHANGES
Colin Campbell and Mathieu Schneider, the co-chairs of the NHL / NHLPA Competition Committee, issued a statement on new rules recommendations regarding expanded video review (coach’s challenge), face-offs and overtime.

These recommendations still require approval by the NHL’s Board of Governors and NHLPA’s Executive Board, at which point the language of the rules will be formalized.

Click here for complete details.

the above information was provided by the NHL PR department