Are the Tampa Bay Lightning the National Hockey League's new dynasty? The coming years will determine that, though winning back-to-back Stanley Cups puts them right on schedule.
The reigning champs retained their title belt on Wednesday, claiming their second Stanley Cup in as many years with a 1-0 win in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final over the Montreal Canadiens. Unlike last season when the Lightning won the cup under relatively muted circumstances in Edmonton (site of the NHL's Return To Play "bubble"), Tampa Bay got to celebrate in front of its home fans at Amelie Arena, where the team has dominated all year (30-8-2, including a 9-1-2 record in the postseason).
For the Lightning, this is their third win in four Stanley Cup appearances following victories in both 2004 and 2020. Only the Chicago Blackhawks were able to best Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, who finished runner-up to Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for this year's Vezina Trophy (awarded annually to the league's top netminder), was an easy choice for the Conn Smythe, becoming the first goalie to win playoff MVP since Jonathan Quick in 2012. He finished the 2021 playoffs registering a 16-7 record with a 1.90 goals-against average, a .937 save percentage and five shutouts.
The Lightning finished third in the Central Division during the regular season, but played their best hockey when it mattered most. Tampa Bay received enormous contributions this postseason from 2019 Hart Trophy recipient Nikita Kucherov (who did not appear in the regular season due to a hip injury) and Brayden Point, who led all playoff scorers with 14 goals, matching the franchise mark he set in 2020.
Prior to Tampa Bay, the most recent back-to-back Stanley Cup champions had been the Pittsburgh Penguins, who brought home the title in both 2016 and 2017.
The Canadiens put forth a valiant effort in defeat, reaching the Final for the first time since 1993, despite having the worst record of any team that qualified for this year's postseason (24-21-11). Montreal remains as the last Canadian-based NHL team to raise the Stanley Cup.
After failing to clinch Monday in Montreal, the Lightning delivered the knockout blow back at their home building Wednesday night with rookie Ross Colton responsible for the game's only goal. Colton's tally, the product of a brilliant centering pass by defenseman David Savard, came with 6:33 remaining in the second period.
It's been a remarkable year for Tampa Bay sports teams with three championships (two Stanley Cups from the Lightning and a Super Bowl courtesy of the Buccaneers) and a World Series appearance by the Rays.
Meanwhile, forward Pat Maroon, who netted the game-tying goal to force overtime in Monday night's Game 4 loss, has now won three-consecutive Stanley Cups, two as a member of the Lightning and another with the St. Louis Blues in 2019.
With the 2020-21 season in the books, the focus will now shift to the offseason, with the 2021 NHL Draft and free agency both beginning later this month. The NHL will also stage an Expansion Draft on July 21 — the first since Vegas entered the league in 2017 — with the arrival of the league's 32nd franchise, the Seattle Kraken.
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