CHICAGO -- In a series as tight as the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, the Chicago Blackhawks need to continue killing penalties as well as they have in the first four games of the series.

The Blackhawks have killed off 10 of 11 Lightning power plays, one reason the best-of-7 series is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

"I think when it comes down to the penalty kill, I think we've really always understood how big of a deal it is, especially to try and take away energy from a team like this," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said Thursday. "The last couple games it's been big for us."

CHICAGO -- There was some question as to whether Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya would even play in Game 4 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at United Center on Wednesday.

But Oduya, who sustained an undisclosed upper-body injury in Game 3 on Monday, played 25:45 in Game 4, blocked five shots and finished with a plus-1 rating. As one of the Blackhawks' top four defensemen who have absorbed a huge workload in this series and the Western Conference Final, receiving the normal contribution from Oduya was a big help in Chicago's 2-1 victory to tie the best-of-7 series 2-2.

Game 5 will take place at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

"He's been huge," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said of Oduya. "Everyone liked to talk about the four [defensemen] who were absorbing most of the minutes and responsibility in the previous series, so I don't think that's changed. I think those guys are ready for whatever, [even] playing through a few bumps and bruises. Johnny is one of those guys. It's going to take a lot more to stop him. Huge for him to bounce back. [He] made a big difference for us on the blue line tonight."

CHICAGO --  Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya is likely to play in Game 4 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports), but there are changes coming to the lineup.

Defenseman Kyle Cumiskey will be replaced by 40-year-old veteran Kimmo Timonen, and  forward Kris Versteeg will re-enter the lineup to play left wing on the second line in place of Bryan Bickell. Versteeg played the first two games of the series when Bickell had vertigo, but was a healthy scratch for Game 3 on Monday.

"We wanted [Bickell] in Game 3, gave him an opportunity to get in," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "I don't think [Versteeg] deserved to come out. I think he gives us a threat offensively, [he's] defensively aware, [and has] strength in the puck area. He can make some plays. I think he can add to some of our offense."

CHICAGO – Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya has an upper-body injury and his status is unknown for Game 4 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Oduya apparently sustained the injury at some point during the Blackhawks' 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 on Monday, when his ice time was significantly reduced in the second and third periods.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville was asked Tuesday about Oduya's status and whether there might be any lineup changes for Game 4 in relation to it.

CHICAGO -- After playing 11 shifts and 7:37 in the first period, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya played five shifts in the second and seven in the third in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at United Center on Monday.

Oduya left the game after his final shift of the second with 7:44 left in the period and didn't return until the third. He played a total of 16:47.

Asked about Oduya's status after the loss, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville made it sound as though there might be an injury.

"We'll see [Tuesday] how he presents," Quenneville said.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks have some lineup changes coming for Game 3 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at United Center on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

If things stay as they were during line rushes at the morning skate:

* Captain Jonathan Toews and right wing Patrick Kane will be split onto the top two lines, with Toews staying at center on the top line and Kane going back to his more familiar spot on the right wing of the second line.

* Power forward Bryan Bickell, who missed the first two games because of vertigo, will return to action at left wing on the second line.

* Rookie defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk will play an NHL game for the first time since he was sidelined Nov. 16 by a fractured left patella, making his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut as either the fifth or sixth defenseman.

TAMPA – Chicago Blackhawks rookie defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk could play in Game 2 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (7:15 p.m. ET; CBC, NBC, TVA Sports), coach Joel Quenneville said Thursday.

If so, van Riemsdyk will play his first NHL game since Nov. 16 when he fractured his left patella blocking a shot in a 6-2 win against the Dallas Stars. He will also make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut on the biggest stage.

What gives Quenneville the confidence to put him right into the spotlight as the team’s fifth or sixth defenseman?

"Probably the way he shocked us, surprised us, when he first came in at [training] camp this year, [and] how well he played for us when he started the season," Quenneville said. "You can look at him a lot of nights, [and] he's out there against top players. He was out there late in periods. He was killing plays, making plays, reliable. He played, surprisingly, to a different level than we anticipated he could get to."

TAMPA -- The past few days have been a blur for Chicago Blackhawks forward Kris Versteeg, who replaced Bryan Bickell for Game 1 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Wednesday, two days after he became a father for the first time.

Versteeg didn't have a point in 9:32 of ice time. He skated primarily at left wing on the second in Bickell's spot.

Chicago scored twice in the third period for a 2-1 win. Game 2 will be played Saturday at Amalie Arena (7:15 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

TAMPA -- It won't happen in Game 1 at Amalie Arena on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports), but it seems likely Chicago Blackhawks rookie defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk will play at some point in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

If so, the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk will make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut on the NHL's biggest stage.

"Not playing today, but he's real close," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after Chicago's morning skate. "We asked could he play today. He's sitting there. He's that close. We expect a very good chance he's going to be in the series."

CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville was coy Monday when asked whether forward Bryan Bickell sat out the final 40 minutes of Game 7 of the Western Conference Final because of injury or poor play.

"We'll say it was my decision, but we'll say a little bit of both," Quenneville said.

Bickell and center Marcus Kruger each will play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports), Quenneville said.