It may have taken longer than expected, but months after the National Hockey League season was suspended, the Tampa Bay Lightning have become Stanley Cup Champions. The Lightning defeated the Stars 2-0 in the decisive sixth game to win the series four games to two.
Defenseman Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the best player in the playoffs. He recorded 22 points in 25 games, including ten goals. His ten goals in the playoffs this season are the third-most for a defenseman in a playoff season in league history.
The title is the Lightning’s second Stanley Cup win after winning the title in the 2004-2005 season. Sitting atop the NHL is years in the making for Tampa, as The Lightning have experienced several playoff disappointments in recent years. The Lightning lost the 2015 Stanley Cup Final to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. This was followed by losses in the conference finals in two of the next three years.
Last year, the Lightning seemed poised to win it all. They tied the NHL record for most wins in a season with 62. However, they were swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were the lowest seed in the eastern conference.
This season, the Lightning were on a mission to vanquish the demons of seasons past.
The Lightning once again had a successful regular season, earning the eastern conference's number two seed for the playoffs and an opening-round matchup against the team that ruined their Stanley Cup dreams last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
This time, though, the Blue Jackets were no match for the Lightning as the Lightning defeated the Blue Jackets four games to one. In game one of the series, the Lightning defeated the Blue Jackets in a five-period overtime game, one of the longest games in NHL history.
In the second round, the Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins in five games to earn a trip to their third eastern conference final in four years. This time they would match up against the New York Islanders.
The Lightning defeated the Islanders in six games, winning the decisive game six in overtime on a goal from center Anthony Cirelli, setting up a matchup against the Stars.
The series featured a matchup of coaches who know each other well. Stars coach Rick Bowness was an associate coach for the Lightning from 2013-2018.
The Stars took a 1-0 series lead after winning the opening game in overtime 4-1. The Lightning answered back by winning the next three games to take a 3-1 series lead. The high point of these three straight wins was the second period of game three, as the Lightning put up three straight unanswered goals to take a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Lightning scored two first period goals, including one by their captain Steven Stamkos. Stamkos had been out since early March after surgery on a core muscle. This would be his only on-ice contribution for the series as he only played during the first period of game three.
The Stars won a tight contest in game five to end the win streak of the Lightning and make the series 3-2 in favor of Tampa Bay. That, however, would be as close as the Stars would get.
In game six, the Lightning raced out to a 1-0 first period lead on a goal from center Brayden Point, his 14th of the playoffs. They stretched their lead to 2-0 on a second period goal from left winger Blake Coleman, putting the game even farther out of reach for Dallas.
The Lightning held off Dallas in the third period to win the game and the Stanley Cup. The win capped off a five-year wait to return to the final, and this time win hockey’s ultimate prize.
Several core players for the Lightning were on the 2015 team that lost the Stanley Cup, including Stamkos, Hedman, winger Nikita Kucherov and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Stamkos and Hedman have been with the Lightning since 2008 and 2009 respectively.
The story of the Lightning’s 2019-2020 Stanley Cup is one of redemption and persistence. After years of disappointment, the Lightning finally climbed the mountain to the peak of hockey greatness.
Only one question remains, can they come back and do it again next season?