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(6/7/04 10:38 pm)
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Re: CONGRATS KEV!!!!!!
Lightning strike to win Stanley Cup
By Phil Coffey | NHL.com
June 7, 2004
TAMPA -- Thunder storms rolled through the Tampa area Monday afternoon, complete with lightning strikes.
Monday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning struck to win the Stanley Cup, completing an inspiring comeback in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Calgary Flames with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 fueled by two goals from Ruslan Fedotenko.
The Lightning rallied back from a 3-2 deficit in the series, winning Game 6 in Calgary Saturday and Game 7 in Tampa for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Tampa's Brad Richards, with 12 goals and 14 assists in 23 games, was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2004 playoffs.
Fedotenko netted the first goal of the game, which was a critical advantage in the 2004 Finals as each team scoring first won its respective games.
The Lightning received strong goaltending from Nikolai Khabibulin in the critical game. He didn't face an overwhelming offense from the Flames, who had only seven shots in the first two periods, but was there at the critical junctures.
Calgary's goal, a power-play goal at 9:21 of the third period by Craig Conroy came through a screen, beating Khabibulin high to the glove side with Martin Gelinas setting the screen in front while battling with Dave Andreychuk.
The goal sent a surge of energy through the Flames who put on incredible pressure after the goal, with defenseman Jordan Leopold nearly tying the game with 4:46 left when he pinched in and very nearly got the puck over Khabibulin's outstretched arm and a diving Pavel Kubina. Steve Montador nearly scored from the circle to Khabibulin's left seconds later, but the goalie was able to knock the puck away amidst the Flames' suffocating pressure.
With 3:06 left in the third, Vincent Lecavalier had a golden opportunity to ice the game on a breakaway, but Miikka Kiprusoff stayed with his silky moves and denied the chance to keep the Flames' relentless surge alive.
With 2:16 left, Khabibulin was huge again, gloving a point drive by Leopold with Chris Clark ready to pounce on any rebound.
Calgary's hopes evaporated at 18:58 when Andrew Ference was called for charging Martin St. Louis, sending the Lightning to the power play as precious seconds clicked off the clock.
Despite the loss, the Flames played with heart and passion in what became a bitter disappointment to a wonderful season in which Calgary returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a seven-season drought and as the sixth seed in the Western Conference eliminated three division winners ? Vancouver, Detroit and San Jose. But the Southeast Division champion Lightning were one division champ too many.
The Tampa victory was especially sweet for Tampa Bay Andreychuk, who has toiled for 22 NHL seasons and was in appearing in his 1,759th career game ? 162 playoff games ? without winning the Stanley Cup. Until Monday night, when he realized his dream of winning the Cup when he took hold of the cherished trophy from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at center ice of the frenzied St. Pete Times Forum.
The triumph completed a rags-to-riches story for the Lightning, who have evolved from a long-struggling expansion team to champs under GM Jay Feaster and coach John Tortorella.
The Lightning had the edge in play, shots, and most importantly goals in the first period to take a 1-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
Fedotenko, sporting a nasty cut over his right eye, put the Bolts on the board at 13:31, scoring his 11th goal of the playoffs with Tampa Bay on the power play.
Give a lot of credit for the goal to winger Fredrik Modin, who worked the right side of the ice hard to get the puck and dish it back to Brad Richards at the right point.
Lightning goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin made several spectacular saves in the third period to keep Tampa Bay's lead intact.
Richards put a wrist shot on goal through a screen that Kiprusoff kicked out. But Robyn Regehr was unable to contain the puck and/or Fedotenko, who fired the rebound into the net for the first goal of the game.
The Lightning nearly went up by a pair with 5:40 left when defenseman Dan Boyle trailed the play and got the puck with in his wheelhouse for a drive that clanged off the post.
Calgary had a good chance a minute later when Krzysztof Oliwa had a couple chances in close to Khabibulin, but the big winger couldn't get a handle on the bouncing puck.
Tampa Bay had another great chance at 17:16 but couldn't convert off a slow-developing 3-on-1 break as Martin Cibak passed up a shot from the right wing in favor of a drop pass to defenseman Jassen Cullimore, who got the shot on net from the slot. Cibak would have been better served to take the shot himself, appearing to have some more net to pick from.
Cullimore was called for interference at 19:42 of the first, sending the Flames to the power play, an advantage that carried over the second period.
The Flames had two power plays of their own in the first period as Marcus Nilson was called for slashing at 1:10 and Oleg Saprykin was boxed for tripping at 11:59, but neither power-play opportunity was able to produce a goal, although Richards and Andreychuk had solid scoring chances while Saprykin was off.
Fedotenko make it 2-0 at 14:38 of the second period off a tremendous effort by Lecavalier, who put his considerable skills to work at the right time.
Lecavalier grabbed the puck in the left wing corner and then ragged the puck while dipsey-doodling in a very small space. He avoided Montador and then a collision with two more players before dishing to Fedotenko in the high slot just before being dropped to the ice by two Flames.
Lecavalier's pass was breathtaking, but Fedotenko kept it from becoming a forgotten play when he ripped the puck high to Kiprusoff's glove side for his second of the game and 12th of the playoffs. But more importantly for the packed house at the St. Pete Times Forum and the thousands watching outside, the goal gave Tampa a 2-0 lead.
Leading after two periods was a huge omen of success for the Lightning, who entered the game 14-1 when leading after 40 minutes. In contrast, trailing after two has been a precursor of disaster for the Flames, who were 0-7 when trailing after two going into the game.
This hearts been torn in two cut and bruised with too many bitter endings |
O & A ALWAYS WIN IN THE END
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