{"id":47368,"date":"2022-06-12T14:57:50","date_gmt":"2022-06-12T14:57:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-weve-learned-about-the-stanley-cup-final-bound-lightning-through-three-rounds\/"},"modified":"2022-06-12T14:57:50","modified_gmt":"2022-06-12T14:57:50","slug":"what-weve-learned-about-the-stanley-cup-final-bound-lightning-through-three-rounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-weve-learned-about-the-stanley-cup-final-bound-lightning-through-three-rounds\/","title":{"rendered":"What we’ve learned about the Stanley Cup Final-bound Lightning through three rounds"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have eliminated the New York Rangers and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season, with the Colorado Avalanche rested and ready for Game 1 (Wednesday, 8 ET, ESPN).<\/p>\n

Here are five things we learned about the Lightning so far in their 2022 postseason journey and what they mean for the final showdown.<\/p>\n

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The three-peat is in reach<\/h2>\n

The NHL hasn’t had a team three-peat as Stanley Cup champion since 1983, when the New York Islanders finished off their dynasty. Since then, six other teams won back-to-back Stanley Cups. Five of them failed to advance past the second round until the Lightning won the East this season.<\/p>\n

“You don’t get these chances often. They don’t come around. It’s like we’ve seen the top of the mountain. Let’s keep going for more,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.<\/p>\n

It’s a classic matchup for the Stanley Cup: The Colorado Avalanche, trying to finally break through to win their first Cup since 2001 after a few years as a top contender; and the Lightning, now just four wins away from an unprecedented achievement in the NHL’s salary-cap era, which started in 2005.<\/p>\n

“To get there the first time was a dream come true. To get there a second time, the next year, was a dream too. There was no way we were going back. To go a third time is unbelievable,” Cooper said. “To watch their growth, watch the pain … I’m utterly impressed by what they do to win a hockey game. Nobody would fault them for saying ‘hey, we won one or two.’ But to go for a third? I’m damn impressed. “<\/p>\n

To win a third straight Cup, the Lightning will have to defeat what Stamkos believe is the best team in the NHL.<\/p>\n

“Colorado? Probably the best team in the league,” Stamkos said. “As you progress through the playoffs, each round gets tougher and each opponent gets tougher. There’s a reason why there’s two teams left, and it’s because they’re the two best teams. We’re going to have our hands full.”<\/p>\n\n

(Mostly) old faces, same success<\/h2>\n

The Avalanche are facing a Lightning team whose core is essentially the same as the teams that won back-to-back Cups.<\/p>\n