For the third year in a row, the Tampa Bay Lightning are heading to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Lightning lost the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the New York Rangers. But they won Games 3 and 4 at home, then came away with a win at Madison Square Garden in Game 5 to give themselves a chance to win the series with a Game 6 victory. Tampa Bay did just that, prevailing in a tense battle to win Game 6 2-1 and the series 4-2.
The critical sequence of Game 6 came in the third period. With the Lightning ahead 1-0, New York’s Frank Vatrano scored a power play goal with 6:53 to tie the game. The euphoria the Rangers experienced, though, was short-lived. Only 21 seconds after Vatrano tied the game, Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the game to put Tampa Bay back on top.
So the @NYRangers tied it… and then the @TBLightning took the lead back 21 seconds later… 😳 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @espn ➡️ https://t.co/Q6pgX3WR7C
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/5TI9QXKueT pic.twitter.com/Qr4SZtNcKv— NHL (@NHL) June 12, 2022
Stamkos’ goal was reviewed for possible goaltender interference, but the call was upheld. Hockey fans were stunned by the thrilling sequence of events.
#NYR fans 21 seconds apart 😢😢😢 pic.twitter.com/0PjcRQvLma
— lucks eterna ☘️ (@lucks_eterna) June 12, 2022
Tampa Lightning after the Rangers scored. #NYRvsTBL #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/s7QKGaS5tV
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) June 12, 2022
Wow are you serious -/ Kucherov to Stamkos goal @TBLightning Bolts up 2-1
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 12, 2022
The Lightning held on from there, fighting off a late push from the Rangers.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to their third straight Stanley Cup Final pic.twitter.com/urqe32CTHD
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) June 12, 2022
The Lightning are now going for their third straight Stanley Cup. No team has won three straight Stanley Cups since the New York Islanders, who won four straight from 1980-1983. Since then, the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins have both repeated twice and the Detroit Red Wings repeated once, but none of those teams even reached a third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals.
So, the Lightning are already doing something that hasn’t been done in a long time. That earned them a lot of well-deserved praise.
The Tampa Bay Lightning become the 1st team to make 3 straight Stanley Cup Finals since all 4 rounds were made to best-of-seven in 1987!
Dynasty ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/tLbVGMaJ39
— Greg Harvey (@BetweenTheNums) June 12, 2022
Three straight Cup Finals. Man. This core of Lightning players is so special. Becoming historic before our very eyes
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) June 12, 2022
Lightning are a special franchise. What a comeback to win this series.
— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) June 12, 2022
not only have the Tampa Bay Lightning made three straight Cup Finals in the cap era, they’ve made three straight Cup Finals in the FLAT cap era. absurd.
— Mike Stephens (@mikeystephens81) June 12, 2022
What the Lightning are doing right now is remarkable. Honestly one of the greatest stories in sports.
Avalanche have their hands full, but the final will be phenomenal.
— Ryan The Hockey Guy (@RyanHockeyGuy) June 12, 2022
Hoping for a third date, eh?
Things are getting serious @TBLightning…
— The Stanley Cup (@StanleyCup) June 12, 2022
The Colorado Avalanche are awaiting Tampa in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 1 will be played in Colorado on Wednesday, June 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.