Tampa Bay Lightning

With captain Steven Stamkos leading the way, the two-time defending champions beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Saturday ...

He made some unbelievable saves to keep them in it, but I think I just felt kind of a calming presence because of the group," Stamkos said. "It was just one of those nights where whether it was the next shift after, whether I scored or someone else scored, it was just a feeling that we were going to get it done." They are trying to become the first to win three straight championships since the New York Islanders claimed four in a row from 1980-83. But we played well, we battled hard, we had a chance to win all those games," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "I was just confident in our group that we would find a way, whether it was in regulation or was in overtime. "You’re still not at the end of our goal, but in saying that this group is pretty amazing and pretty special."

Steven Stamkos stepped up when the Tampa Bay Lightning needed him the most, lifting the team to a third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Shesterkin had 29 saves in the loss. "You’re still not at the end of our goal, but, in saying that, this group is pretty amazing and pretty special." "Shesterkin was unbelievable. "I was just confident in our group that we would find a way, whether it was in regulation or was in overtime. That was the feeling we had from puck drop." "I obviously was a little disappointed in myself for taking the penalty.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's bid for a three-peat is alive and well.

He made some unbelievable saves to keep them in it, but I think I just felt kind of a calming presence because of the group,” Stamkos said. "They found a way to get the big goal at the big time.” They are trying to become the first to win three straight championships since the New York Islanders claimed four in a row from 1980-83. NOTES: The Lightning played again without forward Brayden Point, who’s missed 10 games since suffering a lower-body injury during Tampa Bay’s Game 7 victory over Toronto in the first round. “And the fact that they they have every excuse in the world to not win because nobody would fault them by saying hey, you won one, you won two and to come back and and go for a third. He was the NHL’s leading goal scorer the previous two postseasons. “It was just one of those nights where whether it was the next shift after, whether I scored or someone else scored, it was just a feeling that we were going to get it done.” “I was just confident in our group that we would find a way, whether it was in regulation or was in overtime. But we played well, we battled hard, we had a chance to win all those games," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “You’re still not at the end of our goal, but in saying that this group is pretty amazing and pretty special.” He gave us a chance to win every night. That was the feeling we had from puck drop.”

Can the Tampa Bay Lightning hang onto the title belt and secure a three-peat or are the Colorado Avalanche poised for another magnificent moment?

Pavel Francouz has done a nice job in relief, but the Avalanche are going to need Kuemper to find his regular-season form (.921 save percentage, 2.58 GAA) in order to try and knock off the two-time defending champions. Vasilevskiy had some uncharacteristic hiccups during the playoffs, but he’s been exceptional of late and resembling the goalie who has carried the mail and been almost unbeatable both after losses and in elimination games. Palat is a pending unrestricted free agent who won’t be short on suitors and his well-established value is on the rise after coming up with game-winning goals in Games 4 and 5 against the Rangers. Injury info is generally tough to come by, especially at this time of the year but both coaches would love to have these players at their disposal, even if they’re not 100 per cent. Only Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers has saved more goals above expected (according to Money Puck) during the playoffs, and he’s got his save percentage up to .928 and his goals-against average down to 2.28. One of several low-maintenance acquisitions by Avalanche GM Joe Sakic prior to the NHL trade deadline, Lehkonen is someone Bednar can lean on, no matter what the situation is: protecting a lead, looking for the equalizer, killing penalties, or jumping onto the top power-play unit. MacKinnon has been praised by Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar for his willingness to sacrifice some offence to drill in on the details of his head-to-head battle. Two incredibly valuable players are dealing with significant injuries, but both could be involved in this series before it is complete. Hedman is fourth in team scoring (two goals, 14 points in 17 games), averages more than 25 minutes of ice time per game and is used in all situations. The captains are both playing fundamentally sound hockey, providing excellent leadership while chipping in offensively. “It's a step in the right direction. Makar has been outstanding, delivering superb play in all three zones.

To get there a second time, the next year, was a dream too. There was no way we were going back. To go a third time is unbelievable," Lightning coach Jon Cooper ...

"We're going to the finals again. We have a chance to do something really special." It's typically the team that improves the most throughout the run that ends up winning." "There's a reason why there's two teams left, and it's because they're the two best teams in the league. It just needs to get done," Stamkos said. "As the [conference finals] progressed, we got better and better," Killorn said. Cooper said injured star Brayden Point, who hasn't played since Game 7 against the Maple Leafs, might not play in Game 1 but is "extremely probable" to appear in the series. We don't know what's going to happen here in the next 10 to 14 days. "As you progress through the playoffs, each round gets tougher and each opponent gets tougher," he said. But we know we're going to give it our all. To get there a second time, the next year, was a dream too. "To get there the first time was a dream come true.

Radio broadcaster Dave Mishkin recaps Tampa Bay's series-clinching win over the Rangers in Game 6.

For most of the night, the Lightning had the puck. Back up by a goal, the Lightning locked things down over the final 6:32 of regulation. After the second Stamkos goal, New York managed just two more SOG down the stretch, both after Shesterkin was pulled for the extra attacker. That created a two-on-one for the Lightning. Kucherov delivered the puck to Stamkos, who cut to the middle and fired a shot into Shesterkin's glove. The Rangers produced very few scoring chances during Game Six. Much of that had to do with how decisively the Lightning won the possession battle. As they had done in Games Three, Four, and Five, the Lightning competed hard and with urgency, showed great attention to detail, took away opposition time and space, managed the puck well, blocked shots, won 50-50 battles, protected the front of their net, and forced New York to play the majority of the game without the puck.

The Lightning will take on the Colorado Avalanche, who made it this far after sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Finals. Nikita Kucherov ...

Nikita Kucherov comes in as the leading point scorer for the Lightning with 23 in 17 games. Game one is set to go in Denver on Wednesday at 5 pm. Tampa has won the last two Stanley Cups and are looking for a three-peat.

They are back in the Final for the third straight season. That's pretty good.

We’re unlikely to see anything like this again. Celebrate this win, folks. Game Seven* - at Colorado Avalanche Tuesday June 28th 8:00 PM EST Game Four - vs Colorado Avalanche Wednesday June 22nd 8:00 PM EST They are dealing with injuries so the rest is good for them, but as we saw with the Lightning in the early games of their last series, a little rust can affect a team that relies on skill. With their victory over the New York Rangers in Game Six the Tampa Bay Lightning are advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season.

No team has been to three Stanley Cup Finals in a row since the Edmonton Oilers in the mid-1980s, and the Islanders were the last team to win three ...

The Rangers will have all summer to heal their injuries and think about how they blew a two-game lead against the defending Stanley Cup champions. To get there a second time the next year was like a dream, like there’s no way we’re going back. They finished off the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference finals nearly a week ago. Stamkos, coming out of the penalty box, raced toward the net, took a pass from Kucherov and shot the puck. Then the Rangers broadsided them in the first two games of the series in New York. The young Rangers, in the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, failed to score at even strength in the last four games of the series. Tampa blocked all of the Rangers’ shots. Tampa Bay overcame a two-game deficit and won the last four games of the series, outscoring the Rangers, 12-5. But the Lightning showed why and how they keep winning championships. Now 32, the center from suburban Toronto has played his entire 14-year career in Tampa and helped build an also-ran into a perennial contender. They play in Tampa, a Florida tourist destination where a star named Tom Brady, quarterback for the Buccaneers, grabs most of the sporting headlines. The Tampa Bay Lightning, though, are close to accomplishing something even more difficult: Winning three Stanley Cups in a row.

Ahead of the series vs. the Colorado Avalanche, it's time to release our Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Final predictions.

Both played pivotal roles in each of the Lightning’s run to the Stanley Cup over the past two seasons. When Point does eventually return to the ice, we’re expecting him to play with a chip on his shoulder and look to make up for lost time. With all that in mind, here are our bold Lightning predictions for the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche. He’ll be hoping to have a similar impact against the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog, and the rest of the Avs’ elite attack. A large part of their success in the defensive third was the play of Anthony Cirelli, who has been essential as a defensive-minded forward, helping mitigate the impact of some star offensive players. While the Avalanche have largely been considered title favorites throughout their dominant postseason run, the Lightning will have Stanley Cup Final experience most other teams would only dream of boasting.