The defending Stanley Cup Lightning are an elite tier team, while the Blackhawks rank among the worst teams. This was evident in Wednesday's opener won by the Lightning, 5-1.
The score could have been even more lopsided but Blackhawks goalie Malcolm Subban made a couple of great saves. 
Tampa Bay dominated that game. I don't see anything changing. The Blackhawks are inexperienced, weak in net and really missing the presence of sidelined team captain Jonathan Toews. The Lightning have beaten the Blackhawks in nine of their past 10 regular-season meetings.
The chances of the Lightning letting down are lessened by the heavy reduction of games this season, making each matchup important. Tampa Bay doesn't have to play an "A" game to defeat the Blackhawks by multiple goals.