Lightning zaps Canada's Stanley Cup dreams
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[July 08, 2021]
By Steve Keating
(Reuters) - Canada's Stanley Cup drought will continue for at least
another year after the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal
Canadiens 1-0 on Wednesday to cap a successful National Hockey
League title defence and heap more misery on an ice hockey-mad
nation.
Not since 1993 has a Canada-based franchise lifted Lord Stanley's
treasured trophy, and that winless run will extend to a 29th year
after the magic ran out on the Canadiens' postseason adventure.
Montreal were a 50-to-1 longshot when the playoffs began seven weeks
ago but they defied the odds to become the first Canadian club to
reach the final since the Vancouver Canucks a decade ago.
After a regular season played in empty buildings due to COVID-19
restrictions, the Canadiens gave a pandemic weary country a lift
with their improbable run to the finals.
"What a season for our @CanadiensMTL," tweeted Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau, who had backed the Canadiens to beat the
Lightning in a "friendly wager" with U.S. President Joe Biden.
"You've kept us on the edge of our seats during these playoffs - and
we can't wait to see you here again next year."
To reach the Stanley Cup Final, Montreal stormed back from a 3-1
series deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round,
swept the Winnipeg Jets in four games in the second and then ousted
the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.
In the best-of-seven Final, the Canadiens again found themselves
trailing the series 3-1 but this time there was no escape as the
Lightning finished the job on home ice.
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Fans react as they watch the end of game
five of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadiens
and Tampa Bay Lightning ice hockey teams in Montreal, Quebec,
Canada, July 7, 2021. REUTERS/Andrej Ivanov
Montreal was the last Canada-based
team to lift the coveted Cup in 1993 and an entire generation of
Canadiens fans have grown up without experiencing a connection to
the "Habs'" glorious past and their NHL-record 24 championships.
But as COVID-19 restrictions ease, those fans filled Montreal
streets around their home arena to revel in the pursuit and cheer on
their team.
"They bled, they fought, they never quit," said Montreal coach
Dominique Ducharme. "I'm proud of this group, I told the guys we had
to go through a lot of things -- injuries, scheduling, COVID -- many
things we kept moving forward.
"We want to make it back here with a different result."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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