On Saturday, the NHL kicked off its final round of the season as game one of the Stanley Cup Finals took place in Chicago for the first time since 1961. NHL betting fans were treated to a similar result as 49 years ago, as the Blackhawks took game one in a high scoring affair. Stanley Cup betting enthusiasts could not have anticipated that 11 goals would be scored in the opening match between the Hawks and the Flyers as the Hawks came out on top six to five. Moreover, fans and experts alike were in awe of the final score, as both Hawks goalie Niemi and Flyers goalie Leighton had two of the best save percentages throughout the playoffs.

Nerves must have got the best of Leighton, or maybe the UFC 116 betting pounding the Blackhawks have been laying as he appeared as a completely different goalie from the Montreal series in round three. In that series as fans will remember, Leighton won three of the four games by shutout. Similar to his only loss in the Montreal series, Leighton was lit up for five goals in game one with the Hawks before being taken out to get treated for third degree burns on his neck from the goal lamp. To replace him was backup Brian Boucher, who had guided the Flyers to the playoffs this year via his late regular season heroics against the New York Rangers.

The Flyers have decided to go back to Leighton as he has recovered from his goal lamp burns, and hopes to bounce back in game two of the finals similar to game five against the Hab's where he closed out the series. If the Flyers hope to have any chance against the youthful Blackhawks, they will need Leighton to return to round three form. The Hawks on the contrary, although winning game one thanks to their role players, hope that the top line of Kane, Toews, and Byfuglien have a better second game then in game one. In the first game of the finals the trio was a combined minus nine, and appeared invisible for the majority of the game.