Tampa Bay Lightning left-winger Ross Colton (79) reacts after scoring on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during the second period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Tampa Two: Lightning wins second straight Stanley Cup title

By CJME News Jul 7, 2021 | 8:53 PM

The Lightning has struck twice.

The Tampa Bay Lightning defended its Stanley Cup title by beating the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 on Wednesday. Tampa Bay won the best-of-seven NHL final in five games.

Ross Colton scored the lone goal of Wednesday’s game and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves for the shutout. Vasilevskiy was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.

The Lightning is the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champion since the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won back-to-back NHL titles in 2016 and 2017.

Montreal’s loss extended Canada’s streak without a Stanley Cup victory to 28 years. The last Canadian-based team to win the NHL title was the Canadiens in 1993.

More to come.