Tampa Bay joins elite company, becoming the ninth team in NHL history to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. It’s also the third Cup in the team’s short history (since 1992), the first coming in 2004.
The great thing about winning it this year is that Tampa fans can celebrate in public. Last season, amid the pandemic, the Lightning celebrated in an empty arena. This time, a proper celebration is in order.
To get there, superstar Russians Nikita Kucherov and goaltender/brick wall Andrei Vasilevskiy led the team during its postseason run.
Vasilevskiy deserves special mention because he recorded shutouts in all four series-clinching games. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, the first goalie to win the award since Jonathan Quick in 2012.
The lone goal of the fifth and final game of the series was scored by rookie Ross Colton, who etched his name in history by becoming the seventh rookie to score a Cup-clinching goal.
While the Montreal Canadiens fought valiantly, they were simply no match for the powerhouse called Tampa Bay. Hockey fans are beginning to talk about an NHL dynasty. And why not? This team is l-o-a-d-e-d!
So the party may be just beginning. But even if it isn’t–with the Bucs claiming a Super Bowl title–2021 is no doubt the “Summer of ‘Champa Bay!’
