Lightning win Stanley Cup after shutting out Stars in Game 6

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the 2020 Stanley Cup champions.

Tampa Bay defeated the Dallas Stars 2-0 in Game 6 on Monday to end the series. Lightning forward Brayden Point scored the game-winning goal, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy recorded a 22-save shutout. Forward Blake Coleman scored Tampa’s second goal of the game.

The Lightning won three straight against the Stars after dropping Game 1. After losing in double-overtime in Game 5, they bounced back to control Game 6 and claim the franchise’s second title.

Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov finished the postseason with a team-leading 34 points in 25 games, while Point had 33 points in 23 games. Defenseman Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after racking up 10 goals and 22 points in 25 contests.

Stamkos out for remainder of Stanley Cup Final

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is unavailable for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Final, head coach Jon Cooper announced Sunday.

Stamkos suited up for Game 3 of his club’s series versus the Dallas Stars – his only appearance of the postseason. He made the most of it, scoring a laser of a goal while logging just 2:47 of ice time across five shifts in the Tampa victory.

“Hopefully the next time you see him on the ice is during a trophy presentation,” Cooper said, per Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.

Stamkos missed time during the regular season due to core muscle surgery and has been dealing with a lower-body injury since the Lightning reconvened in July.

The Lightning currently lead the Stanley Cup Final 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for Monday night.

Hedman becomes 3rd blue-liner to score 10-plus goals in single postseason

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman entered rarified air Wednesday night.

The 2018 Norris Trophy winner scored his 10th goal of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars to join Hall of Famers Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch as the only blue-liners in NHL history to record 10-plus tallies in a single postseason, according to StatsCentre. Coffey set the record during the 1985 playoffs with 12 goals while Leetch potted 11 in 1994.

Hedman’s marker put the Lightning up 3-1 just moments into the second period and stood as the eventual game-winner in the 5-2 victory in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The 6-foot-6 Swede is now tied for second in goals this postseason, trailing only teammate Brayden Point, who notched his 11th on Wednesday.

Hedman has tallied a career-best 20 playoff points through 22 games so far this postseason.

NHL releases Stanley Cup Final schedule

The NHL released the full schedule for the 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars moments after the Bolts punched their ticket to the series with a Game 6 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.

The battle begins Saturday evening.

GAME	DATE	TIME (ET)	NETWORKS
1	Sept. 19	7:30 p.m.	NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS
2	Sept. 21	8 p.m.	NBCSN/CBC/SN/TVAS
3	Sept. 23	8 p.m.	NBCSN/CBC/SN/TVAS
4	Sept. 25	8 p.m.	NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS
5*	Sept. 26	8 p.m.	NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS
6*	Sept. 28	8 p.m.	NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS
7*	Sept. 30	8 p.m.	NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS

* – If necessary

The teams will have one day off between each contest except Games 4 and 5, which are scheduled for back-to-back nights.

The Lightning will be considered the home team in Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 after earning more points than the Stars in the regular season.

Dallas has been idle since Sept. 14 after eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Western Conference Final.

Edmonton selected to host Stanley Cup Final

Edmonton has been selected to host both the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final this summer, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported Thursday.

Though the NHL has yet to make an official announcement, Edmonton and Toronto have reportedly been tabbed as the two hub cities that will host the 24-team playoff if the league returns this summer.

The NHL and the players’ association are working toward a new collective bargaining agreement that includes the return-to-play protocols and remedies for lost revenue due to the league’s shutdown. The hub cities are expected to be made official once that agreement is pending player approval.

Edmonton’s hub-city plan involves a bubble spanning multiple blocks that includes the JW Marriott hotel, the Sutton Place Hotel, and Rogers Arena and its practice facility. A wall will be built around the bubble to help maintain player and public safety, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.

Training camps are scheduled to begin July 10 under Phase 3 of the league’s return-to-play plan.