Tampa Bay is on top of the hockey world, finally

The Tampa Bay Lightning have won the Stanley Cup Finals after what felt like a never-ending season. The Lightning bested the Dallas Stars 2-0, winning the series 4-2 on Monday night.

What began almost a year ago from Monday, the NHL season finally closes it’s 2019-20 campaign. The Tampa Bay Lightning hoisted one of the most prestigious trophies in all of sports, The Lord Stanley Cup. The Lightning finally got over the hump after back to back disappointing playoff exits to secure the second championship in franchise history.

In Game 6, the Lightning’s first goal came on the power play from centerman Brayden Point with seven and a half minutes remaining in the first period. Point shot the puck on Anton Khudobin who gave up a tough rebound which Point picked up and hammered it top shelf. In the first period, the Lightning had eleven shots to Dallas’ mere four shots. 

The second period was more of the same, as the Lightning’s Blake Coleman netted one past Khudobin. Coleman scored on a one-timer as Cedric Paquette slid him the puck while he was sitting at the top of the point and slapped it past Khudobin’s glove.

The Stars woke up in the third period but were unable to get past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy who pitched a shutout. 

The game ended with Tampa Bay having 29 shots to the Stars’ 22. The three stars of the game for the Lightning were Vasilevskiy, Point and defenseman Victor Hedman who had an assist. Hedman was also the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy awarded to the postseason’s best player.

The 2020-21 NHL season is delayed until at least Dec. 1 due to COVID delaying the start of the 2019-20 playoffs. The 2020 NHL Draft will be virtual this year starting on Tuesday, Oct. 6 for round one with rounds 2-7 coming the next day.