Tampa Repeats As Stanley Cup Champions

July 8, 2021 3:55 am

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The downside of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s high-powered offense is that it overshadows their excellent defense. It was the defense that allowed them to clinch their second consecutive Stanley Cup in a Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens, 1-0.  Conn Smythe Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy needed to make just 22 saves in his fifth shutout of the postseason  giving him a 1.90 goals-against average. He’s the first netminder in NHL history to record shutouts in five consecutive series clinchers.  Vasilevskiy remains undefeated in games after a loss over the past two playoffs.  The lone goal was provided by Ross Colton in the second period off a feed from defenseman David Savard. Neither player was with the Bolts for last year’s Cup run.  Nikita Kucherov had 32 points to join Mario Lemieux as the only players to lead the postseason in scoring two years in a row.   Carey Price stopped 29 shots for the Canadiens, whose team-record Cup drought will enter its 29th consecutive year.