Tampa Bay Lightning defeat Montreal Canadiens to win Stanley Cup
Posted July 7, 2021 7:57 pm.
Last Updated July 7, 2021 9:57 pm.
The Montreal Canadiens playoff run came to an end Wednesday when they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Tampa Bay won 1 – 0, securing the championship for the second straight year. Rookie Ross Colton scored the game and series-winning goal.
The @TBLightning are the 2020-21 #StanleyCup Champions defeating the @CanadiensMTL 4-1.
#ItsOn | #GoBoltsGo pic.twitter.com/XzSUVL2Gak— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 8, 2021
Tampa Bay’s mayor had suggested the Lightning lose Game 4 on the road so they could win at home, and she got her wish as the team became the first since Chicago in 2015 to hoist the Cup on home ice.
The defeat dashed the hopes of Canadiens fans, who haven’t seen their team in the final since 1993. Goalie Carey Price made 29 saves.
Montreal fans are disappointed but looking to next season after the playoff run comes to an end. @Xiaoli_3000 has more. pic.twitter.com/r9sbJFOkUs
— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) July 8, 2021
In the playoffs, Montreal looked nothing like the team that closed the season 0-3-2 while missing Carey Price and motivational leader Brendan Gallagher to injuries. This was also a team that had to overcome the distraction of a COVID-19 outbreak to pause its season and a coaching shakeup, with Ducharme promoted from his assistant’s role after Claude Julien was fired in February.
Come the playoffs, the Canadiens were transformed into a focused, four-line, opportunistic team which fed off goalie Price shaking off an inconsistent season and regaining a calm, puck-smothering focus in net.
Carey Price didn't win the Stanley Cup tonight, but he's a Stanley Cup calibre human.#GoHabsGo #Habs https://t.co/oOrjFygTos
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) July 8, 2021
Montreal was catapulted by overtime wins in Games 5 and 6 against Toronto to knock out the Maple Leafs in Game 7. Dismissed again, the Canadiens then swept the Winnipeg Jets in the North Division final and overcame being outplayed by Vegas in a 4-1 semifinal opener to win the series in six games.
The Canadiens remained defiant when falling behind 3-0 to the Lightning, with Josh Anderson delivering on his “we’re not finished” rallying cry to score twice, including in overtime, in a 3-2 win in Game 4.
