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Steven Stamkos upbeat his Cup final goals will come

 
Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) in control of the puck in the first period of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks in the United Center in Chicago, IL on Monday, June 8, 2015.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) in control of the puck in the first period of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks in the United Center in Chicago, IL on Monday, June 8, 2015.
Published June 12, 2015

TAMPA — C Steven Stamkos thought he had a goal Wednesday night.

He and his teammates were ready to celebrate in the waning minutes of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final against the Blackhawks when he had a look at an open net for a goal that would have tied the score at 2. Instead, Chicago D Brent Seabrook stuck out his stick enough to deflect Stamkos' shot wide left.

"I think everybody on our bench right when the puck went on (Stamkos') stick probably jumped up and started celebrating," D Matt Carle said. "I know I did. You kind of bury your hands in disbelief that it didn't go in."

But that's the way it went for Stamkos, who said he had two great looks but couldn't convert on either in the 2-1 loss that a tied the best-of-seven series at two games each. The Lightning captain, who was second in the league with 43 regular-season goals, has had a streaky postseason offensively.

Stamkos didn't score in the first eight games of the playoffs. After recording at least one point in nine of the next 10 games — from Game 2 against the Canadiens in the second round through Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against the Rangers — Stamkos hasn't scored in the past six games.

"I obviously went through it before," Stamkos said. "For whatever reason, the pucks just weren't going into the net. … You start worrying when you don't get the chances."

Carle called it "shocking" that Stamkos doesn't have a goal in this series. Stamkos said he wants to do his party by contributing offensively. He had two shots Wednesday and recorded his first assist of the final.

"I expect more from myself. Hopefully the chances keep coming," Stamkos said. "We got some good looks there, and that's a good thing. It's not all negative. It's right there. You build some confidence. You're getting the puck on your stick in the right situation. You know eventually it's going to go in."

TIGHT GAMES: This Stanley Cup final is only the third in which the first four games were decided by only one goal. The other times were when the Canadiens swept the Blues in 1968 and when all five games of the Toronto-Montreal series needed overtime in 1951.

"I think you're working with two pretty equal teams," Lightning associate coach Rick Bowness said Thursday.

"Both teams have elite skill, elite speed. What we lack in (Chicago's) Stanley Cup experience … we make up for with our youthful enthusiasm.

"Neither team is going to dominate a game for 60 minutes. It's just too equally matched."

FACING OFF: The Lightning was the better faceoff team in Game 1, but Chicago had the advantage in each of the past three games and has won 138 of the 227 faceoffs (60.8 percent) in the series.

Bowness said the Lightning needs to improve, with wings and defensemen providing more help.

"It's not just the centermen losing faceoffs," Bowness said. "It's the guys that are on the ice."