Saturday, June 11, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, the Tampa Bay Lightning won Game 6 2-1 to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, the third time in three years. Back to this decisive meeting.
Having the opportunity to finish the series at home is a chance the Tampa Bay Lightning are ready to take. By the time the inaugural face-off takes place, this idea is in all the heads of Jon Cooper’s players. This can be seen on the ice where Tampa shows its physical superiority from the start, against the New York Rangers who concede a dangerous first chance at 3’45” on a hazardous raise from Igor Shesterkin recovered by Riley Nash who passes to Pat Brown. Targeted at the level of the torso, the Russian gets away with a simple warning. Both defensively and offensively, Tampa Bay sets the pace. Lacking energy and without Kaapo Kaako, the Rangers are dominated from head to toe. Witness an action between Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, in 1-vs-1 which almost put the puck in the back of the net (19’00”).
45 seconds after the start of the second period, Cirelli was once again talked about after an action where he again found himself alone against the opposing goalkeeper while passing the New York defense. Shesterkin holds firm and allows the score to remain blank (20’43”). Nine minutes later, the lamp finally lights on the side of Tampa Bay thanks to Steven Stamkos: taking the puck in the neutral zone, the choice of the number 1 draft of the 2008 Draft takes the defense by surprise and launches a powerful shot , which ends up being the first goal of the game (1-0, 30’43”).
.@RealStamkos91 breaks the ice midway through the second period! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/IIrVKDomuj
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 12, 2022
We continue to push for the blues and whites. Zach Bogosian and Ondrej Palat try to stand out by having two successive face-to-face actions with the New York doorman. But the score remains in favor of Tampa. At the end of the second period, both teams return to the locker room. New York is on the verge of elimination when Tampa Bay one foot in the final.
Hero of the second period, Stamkos will put the future of his team on hold in the third. A 2-minute penalty for holding Alexis Lafrenière will allow Rangers to equalize thanks to a slapshot from Frank Vatrano after winning a face-off, with just 40 seconds left for Jon Cooper’s men to kill the penalty (1-1, 53’07”). But Stamkos will be forgiven soon after. A pass from Nikita Kucherov will bring the #91 against Shesterkin. The initial shot is stopped, but the goalkeeper does not close his mitt. The puck then bounces off the left knee of the Canadian who completes the job. It only took 21 seconds for Tampa to pass (2-1, 53’28”)… and stay there.
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
The Amalie Arena is in turmoil as the final bell rings. A third final in three years awaits Lightning fans, with perhaps the prospect of making history as the fourth team to win 3 Stanley Cups in a row, after the New York Islanders (1980-1983), Montreal (1976-1979; 1956-1960) and Toronto (1962-1964; 1947-1949).
HERE WE GO AGAIN. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Qy4edyIGoR
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 12, 2022
(An article by Thomas Woloch)
Post-match reactions
Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay coach): Get there the first time [en Finale de la Coupe Stanley], it was a dream come true. Getting there a second time, like the following year, was like a dream. As if there was no chance that we would go back there again… and go there a third time. (…) I am just impressed. I am impressed with them [les joueurs]. It is impressive what they have done. »
Gerard Gallant (New York coach): I thought Igor [Shesterkin, le gardien] was exceptional. He gave us a chance to win every night. We were beaten in many games, but he was exceptional. He’s been our best player all year and again in this series. »
Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers player): I do not know what to say. I’m in denial right now. Honestly, I don’t have much to say. I just feel…empty. I don’t want this to end. »
Tampa Bay Lightning – New York Rangers : 2-1 (0-0, 1-0, 1-1)
Saturday June 11 at the Amalie Arena in Tampa (Florida). 19,092 spectators.
Penalties: Tampa Bay 6′ (0′, 2′, 2’+2′), New York 4′ (0′, 2’+2′, 0).
Shots : Tampa Bay 31 (11, 12, 8) New York 21 (7, 6, 8).
Score evolution:
1-0 at 20’43″: Steven Stamkos, assisted by Ondrej Palat and Mikhail Sergachev
1-1 at 53’07″: Frank Vatrano assisted by Andrew Copp (suppl. num)
2-1 at 53’28″: Steven Stamkos assisted by Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Forwards:
Ondrej Palat – Steven Stamkos (2 ‘) – Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Alex Killorn
Ross Colton – Nick Paul – Corey Perry (2’)
Pat Maroon – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Riley Nash
Defenders:
Victor Hedman – Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Mikhail Sergachev (2 ‘) – Zach Bogosian
Guardian :
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Substitute: Brian Elliott (G). Absent: Fredrik Claesson, Alex Barré-Boulet, Brayden Point, Remi Elie, Darren Raddysh, Cole Koepke, Cal Foote, Anthony Richard, Maxime Lagace, Hugo Alnefelt
NEW YORK RANGERS
Forwards:
Alexis Lafreniere – Mika Zibanejad – Frank Vatrano
Artemi Panarin (2’) – Ryan Strome – Andrew Copp
Chris Kreider – Filip Chytil – Barclay Goodrow
Dryden Hunt – Kevin Rooney (2’) – Tyler Motte
Defenders:
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Oven
Justin Braun- Braden Schneider
Guardian :
Igor Shesterkin
Substitute: Alexandar Georgiev (G). Absents: Jarred Tinordi, Zac Jones, Patrik Nemeth, Greg Mckegg, Julien Gauthier, Kaapo Kakko, Libor Hajek, Tim Gettinger, Nils Lundkvist, Ryan Reaves, Jonny Brodzinski, Keith Kinkaid
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