TAMPA, Fla. – They did it in the Edmonton bubble with no fans. They did it following a shortened season in a reconfigured league. Now, they have done it following a typical regular season and with a familiar playoff format.
Not since the Edmonton Oilers in the springs of 1983, ’84 and ‘85 has a team been to three straight Stanley Cup final rounds.
Gas certainly was not $5 a gallon then, though these Tampa Bay Lightning have been keeping their foot on the pedal with no sign of letting up during a remarkable run that has played out before our eyes.
Saturday night’s 2-1 win over the Rangers in Game 6 at Amalie Arena clinched the Eastern Conference championship and gives the Lightning a shot at winning their third straight Cup.
The last team to hoist Lord Stanley’s chalice three straight years? The New York Islanders, who won it four straight (1980-83) years.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final will be Wednesday in Denver against the Avalanche. Colorado swept Edmonton to win the Western Conference.
Steven Stamkos’ third-period goal, his second of the game and 21 seconds after the Rangers tied it at one, was the goal heard through downtown Tampa and points beyond as it lifted the roof under which 19,092 began anticipating yet another Stanley Cup round.
It was Stamkos’ ninth goal of the playoffs and set the stage for yet another Amalie celebration. The hope in these parts is that an even bigger one will take place in about two weeks at 401 Channelside Drive.
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