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Hedman’s name now ends on the huge trophy, which already has 3,333 names on it.
– The Stanley Cup has never been so difficult to win. The players have been here for more than eight weeks and lived in isolation from their families, NHL chief Gary Bettman said before presenting the trophy to Tampa captain Steven Stamkos.
Stamkos then handed it over to Victor Hedman, who has served as the team’s captain in large part since February, when Stamkos disappeared from the team due to injury.
Hedman was involved and played until Tampa’s 1-0 goal and thus finished with 22 points, 10 goals and 12 assists, in 25 games in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay immediately took command in tonight’s game and came out at a high pace, forcing Dallas to focus on defense.
Lightning also landed the first powerplay of the match since John Kling went on a road trip with Alexander Volkov.
Tampa received a dividend in powerplay
It only took 34 seconds before Tampa’s dreaded power play paid off and it was Nikita Kutjerov who played Baryden Point in open position after one run.
Point was in the middle of the shooting sector when he sent the puck away against Anton Khudobin, who could not control the return and Point was able to push him when Mattias Janmark did not have time to mark it.
The 2-0 came just over seven minutes into the half period when Blake Coleman was able to shoot straight from the right technical circle after a cross pass from Cedric Paquette’s left long edge.
Dallas seemed to have tired legs as early as the second period and had a hard time taking more attacks and putting pressure on the Tampa defense.
– Dallas players look tired after all the game in recent weeks, analyzed former NHL star Ed Olzcyk on the NBC Sports broadcast.
Tampa Bay has had one player on the team that won the Stanley Cup before and it’s Pat Maroon, who was from St. Louis when they became NHL champions last year after a dramatic final series over the Boston Bruins.
Dallas returned last night in the third period and drained his last strength in search of a reduction and a draw to try to turn the game around and reach a decisive seventh game.
John Klingberg had a shot in the middle of the fourth period, which went past Tampa forward Pat Maroon through the crossbar over the penalty area.
Stars also got a power play with just under five minutes to go, but he also failed to outwit Andrej Vasilevski.
Klingberg fired shot after shot in the final minutes, but the Tampa players sacrificed and covered as many shots as they could.
This year’s Stanley Cup final was a thick and rocking story.
But above all, it will go down in history for the strange circumstances, where the final team was forced to spend nine weeks in a bubble to reach a final sixth match.
For Victor Hedman, it was worth all the hassle and isolation first in Toronto and then Edmonton.
For the Swedish duo in Dallas, John Klingberg and Mattias Janmark, the end of last night was not what they had dreamed of.
“Tonight it will be champagne”
Klingberg made an impressive tiebreaker with 21 points, 4 goals and 17 assists, in 26 games.
He was responsible for a number of important performances and goals. Not least during the final series.
But when the final signal came just before five in the morning Swedish time, it was Victor Hedman who lifted the Stanley Cup trophy and cheered.
His career reached another milestone.
Tampa Bay maintained the favorite pressure until the end.
Many thanks to the 29-year-old Swedish world defender.
– The last period is the longest I have ever experienced, Hedman said afterwards.
She wished the family had been there, but parents Elisabeth and Olle followed the drama and cheered at home in Örnsköldsvik in front of the TV.
But it wasn’t champagne instead of morning coffee this Tuesday morning at Varvet in Övik.
– Tonight it will be champagne. The wife will be on her way to work soon, says Olle via text message to SportExpressen.
NOTE. Only two Swedes have won the Conn Smythe Trophy at the beginning of the year and they are Detroit duo Nicklas Lidström (2002) and Henrik Zetterberg (2008)
