This was New York's fifth appearance in the Conference Finals. Four members of the team staff won both cups with Tampa Bay in 2004 and 2020, 16 years apart: Video Coach Nigel Kirwin, Athletic Trainer Tom Mulligan, Equipment Manager Ray Thill, and Senior Director of Team Services Ryan Belec. I'll be with @AJMleczko at 4pm et on @NBCSN", "NBC reveals its plan for covering the NHL playoffs", "NBC Sports Announces Commentary and Production Details Ahead of NHL'S 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers", "Isles and NHL playoff schedule a wild ride for broadcasters Brendan Burke and A.J. [22], Under the Quarantine Act, all travellers entering Canada at the time were required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. [9], The playoffs were held in two "hub" cities both in Canada; Edmonton, Alberta at Rogers Place, and Toronto, Ontario at Scotiabank Arena. The NHL fully supported their decision to postpone the games. Winnipeg gained 80 points in 71 games for a points percentage of .563 to finish ninth in the Western Conference. Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman was given the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. In sickness and in health: South Dakota man with genetic kidney disease receives life-saving transplant from his wife. Jamie Oleksiak fired a wrist shot which rebounded back to him which he then shot it over Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to make it 2–1. Colorado earned the second seed in the Western Conference after finishing 2–1 in the Round-robin; during the regular season they finished with 92 points in 70 games for a .657 points percentage. Dallas then pulled Khudobin before the third period, replacing him with rookie Jake Oettinger. The top four teams in each conference played in a separate Seeding Round-robin to determine the seeding in the First Round. [120] Tyler Motte scored twice in game six, sending the Canucks to the Second Round and handily defeating the Blues 6–2.[121]. In game one, Lightning forwards Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov both had five points in an 8–2 rout: Point had two goals and three assists and Kucherov scored a goal and assisted four times. [25] As players and coaches continued to test negative for COVID-19, the traditional handshake lines returned at the end of each First Round series. SPORTS; After a global pandemic put the world on pause, the NHL returned to play for a Stanley Cup Playoffs unlike any we have ever seen. They won the Stanley Cup in 2004 before losing the Finals in 2015. Jason Berger (Asst. The Avalanche defeated the Coyotes in five games. This was the second consecutive playoff meeting and second postseason match-up between these two teams. All Second Round games that were originally scheduled on August 27 and 28 were postponed due to a wildcat strike, in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Allen Murray (Asst General Manager-Director of Amateur Scouting). [8] With the ratification of an extension to the collective bargaining agreement on July 10, the league also announced that all teams participating in the Qualifying Round are considered to have made the playoffs and have participated in a playoff series. [134] Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves for the Canucks in game two, tying the series 1–1 and defeating the Golden Knights 5–2. [44] In game three, Jeff Petry's goal in the third period capped a two-goal comeback for Montreal winning the affair 4–3 and taking the series lead. Amid expanded competition due to the difference in scheduling, game one of the Stanley Cup Finals was seen by only 2.12 million viewers;[183][184] with an average of 2.15 million across the entire series, it was the least-watched Stanley Cup Finals since 2007, and down 61% over 2019. Sportsnet is Canada's Home to the Return of Live NHL, MLB and NBA Action This Summer", "Sportsnet announces Stanley Cup Qualifiers broadcasting schedule", "The NHL is still working on U.S. broadcast plans for its 24-team postseason restart", "NBC Sports to Present Up To 120 Hours of 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers Coverage", "NHL media remain in flux while awaiting finalized coverage plans ahead of restart", "Troy Murray on broadcasting games while not in the stadium: It had a Winter Classic feel to it", "NHL adds atmosphere to postseason games during unique time", "Chris Cuthbert ready to bring Edmonton's Hub City to hockey fans", "Hockey's back, and here's how you can expect broadcasts to change", "NBC Sports announces Mike Milbury has stepped away from his role as NHL analyst for rest of playoffs", "Getting ready for puck drop in Toronto, game one of the Qualifying Round series between the Panthers and Islanders. The Golden Knights defeated the Canucks in seven games after giving up a 3–1 series lead. Kiviranta then skated through centre, firing a shot that was blocked, but picked up the rebound to put it past Vasilevskiy for a 3–1 lead. Dallas made their fifth appearance in the Finals. Chicago earned the eighth seed in the Western Conference as the lowest advancing seed from the Qualifying Round by defeating Edmonton. Tampa Bay's first came from a misplay by Miro Heiskanen giving Nikita Kucherov a breakaway, sniping the puck past Anton Khudobin. [91] Beauvillier's two goals helped shut the door against the Capitals, defeating them 4–0 and advancing to Second Round.[92]. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, and later that day, the National Basketball Association suspended all games after players tested positive for the disease. [39], In game six, the Lightning took a 1–0 lead in the first period. [82] Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 85 saves during the affair, setting a modern day NHL record for saves in a playoff game. [32][33] The Lightning then eliminated the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games. St. Louis earned the fourth seed in the Western Conference after finishing 0–3 in the Round-robin; during the regular season they finished with 94 points in 71 games for a .662 points percentage. Philadelphia earned the first seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing 3–0 in the Round-robin; during the regular season they finished with 89 points in 69 games for a .645 points percentage. victory. In addition, it marked the first time that both the Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes (previously the original Jets, before relocation) qualified for the playoffs in the same season, as well as the first time that the Coyotes made the playoffs since 2012. The details of the plan were announced publicly on May 26. This was the first Stanley Cup Finals since 1950 to feature a neutral site game and the first Stanley Cup Finals to feature both teams from the American Sun Belt (Texas and Florida). A clean host feed was then sent to media partners to add commentary and surrounding coverage, and interviews with players had to be conducted via videoconferencing. of "Is The Qualification Round a Playoff Round? Carolina earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference as the highest advancing seed from the Qualifying Round by defeating the New York Rangers. In December, the league said that the season would be shorter than the typical 82 games. The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup with a six-game triumph over the Dallas Stars. [3] On July 10, along with the ratification of an extension to the collective bargaining agreement, the NHL and the NHLPA formally agreed to begin the playoffs on August 1 (concluding no later than early October), with games being hosted by Edmonton (Western Conference early rounds, Conference Finals, and Stanley Cup Finals) and Toronto (Eastern Conference early rounds). Alex Stalock stopped all 28 shots he faced in Minnesota's game one victory; the Wild won 3–0. [72] In game three, Sean Monahan scored a goal and assisted twice in the Flames' 6–2 victory, giving his team a chance to advance in game four. 2020 Stanley Cup Champions: Tampa Bay Lightning names on the Cup. [71] The Jets tied the series 1–1 on Connor Hellebuyck's 28-save performance in a 3–2 victory. [119] Vancouver came back from a two-goal deficit in game five to defeat St. Louis 4–3 and take a 3–2 series lead. [3], Edmonton and Toronto were among a shortlist of ten host cities announced on May 26, along with Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Saint Paul, and Vancouver. In game one, with the match tied at two, the teams headed into overtime. It was the fourth-longest game in NHL history. This was the first Stanley Cup Finals series since 1928 to be played entirely in one location, the first since 1989 to be played entirely in Canada, and the first since 2011 to have the Stanley Cup awarded in a Canadian arena. 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying Odds: Who will win the number one seed game and move on to the playoffs from the Western Conference?. [145] Nathan MacKinnon extended his point streak to fourteen games, scoring a goal and recording an assist in game six to defeat the Stars 4–1 and force a seventh game. [29] During Phase 2 of the Return to Play plan, captain Steven Stamkos injured himself while skating, and subsequently missed the round robin and the first three rounds of the playoffs for the Lightning. The Round-robin games were played with regular season overtime and shootout rules, with the teams accumulating points like the regular season, and any ties in the round-robin standings were broken by the regular-season points percentage instead of regulation wins. Stanley Cup Playoffs 2020: Five reasons the Bruins were eliminated by the Lightning Breaking down where things went wrong for Boston. Sorry Boston Bruins fans, if the Coronavirus cancels the 2019-20 NHL season, it’s very unlikely your Boston Bruins will not be the 2020 Stanley Cup Champions. Updated to match(es) played on August 9. Athletic Trainer), Ray Thill (Equipment Manager), Rob Kennedy (Asst. [36], In game three, Dallas put the heat on Andrei Vasilevskiy in the first period. Game two of the Second Round series between the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights was the 94th game of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, surpassing the previous single-year record of 93 established in 2014. Airing opposite a Monday Night Football contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, Game Six was seen by 2.88 million viewers, the least-watched series-clinching game since at least 2000. SPORTS; After a global pandemic put the world on pause, the NHL returned to play for a Stanley Cup Playoffs unlike any we have ever seen. Jamie Oleksiak passed to Tyler Seguin, who then dropped it for Perry to score the initial goal for Dallas. The 2020 Stanley Cup qualifiers began on August 1st, and NHL fans may be wondering which teams are likely to perform, and which teams may disappoint. [137] In game five, rookie goaltender Thatcher Demko made 42 saves for the Canucks, defeating the Golden Knights 2–1 to force a sixth game. The Eastern Conference played its early-round games at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, while the early rounds for the Western Conference, as well as the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals, were played at Rogers Place in Edmonton. [98] In game five, David Pastrnak assisted twice in a defensive match defeating the Hurricanes 2–1 and advancing to the Second Round.[99]. From there, they played defensively, turning away seven shots to win 4–3 and advance to the Second Round of the playoffs.[104]. They last went to the Conference Finals in 2018, which they lost to the Washington Capitals in seven games. [105] In game two, Avalanche right wing Andre Burakovsky scored the game-winning goal with 2:53 remaining in the third period to defeat the Coyotes 3–2. [160] Other players in the NBA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and Women's National Basketball Association soon followed suit and also decided not to play their August 26 games. The winners of these series advanced to face one of the Round-Robin teams in the First Round. In game one, Carter Hart made 27 saves against the Canadiens, defeating Montreal 2–1. The Stars tied the game 2–2 when Miro Heiskanen's shot from the point rebounded to Joe Pavelski, who put it past Andrei Vasilevskiy to break the record held by Joe Mullen for most career playoff goals scored by a US-born player. Game On! [2] On May 22, the league and the NHLPA agreed on a basic framework to stage a 24-team playoff tournament behind closed doors, conducted in two neutral "hub" cities to help protect teams from the virus. If not, pre-March 12, the Blues’ were one of the top Western teams, and are favored to take the seeded game once again. Vancouver earned the fifth seed in the Western Conference as the highest advancing seed from the Qualifying Round by defeating Minnesota. The Qualifying Round games were played with Stanley Cup playoff overtime rules. New, 8 comments. The Lightning made it 3–0 when the Stars fumbled the puck in their own zone and Anthony Cirelli gave it to Kevin Shattenkirk, whose shot at the blue line deflected off of Esa Lindell and past Khudobin. These teams split the four games in this year's regular season series. The 2020 Stanley Cup will be a huge test for the sports bettors who certainly remember Tampa Bay’s first-round exit in 2019. They last met in the 2016 Eastern Conference Second Round, which Tampa Bay won in five games. [174][175] Kenny Albert, who does double duty for both NBC and the New York Rangers radio broadcasts, traveled to the Edmonton bubble after the Rangers were eliminated in the Qualifying Round. Following Tampa’s 2020 Stanley Cup victory, GM Julien BriseBois needed a miracle to force his stacked team under an $81.5-million salary cap for 2020-21. Canucks captain Bo Horvat scored twice in game one, defeating the Blues 5–2. Tampa Bay had 28 players on their extended official team roster during the 2020 playoffs. Now that we are through the conference finals, the full 2020 NHL Stanley Cup … "[14][15] A secure perimeter was constructed around both venues with various amenities, with Edmonton's covering four hotels in the Ice District and Rogers Place's existing practice facilities, and Toronto's split between Exhibition Place (Hotel X, BMO Field, & Coca-Cola Coliseum) and the Fairmont Royal York hotel (which is connected to Scotiabank Arena). All games were exclusively broadcast by Sportsnet networks and CBC Television under the Hockey Night in Canada brand, and streamed on Sportsnet Now, CBCSports.ca (for games televised by CBC), or the subscription service Rogers NHL Live. 2020 Upper Deck Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Champions Set Details. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Lightning MSRP: $10.00 $7.95. Updated on August 18, 2020 08/18/2020 11:45 am. [161], When these cancellations south of the border began, NHL players were still isolated in the Edmonton and Toronto bubbles, with game two of the Islanders–Flyers series already in progress when the Bucks first announced their decision to not play. The First Round through to the Finals remained as best-of-seven series. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded. They last met in the 2006 Western Conference Quarterfinals, which Colorado won in five games. [4][5] U.S. cities were also considered, but were passed over after several U.S. states experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases in late June.[6][7]. He took over for 2019 Stanley Cup hero Jordan Binnington, who went 0-4-0 with a 4.27 goals-against average and .862 save percentage in his first four appearances in Edmonton. However, on March 12, the regular season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Columbus won last year's playoff meeting in a four-game sweep. Premier of Ontario Doug Ford admitted that plans of NBC's involvement were not part of the early negotiations with the league. The Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on Saturday, Sept. 19 in the hub city of Edmonton. [85] Barclay Goodrow and Yanni Gourde both scored and provided an assist for the Lightning in game four, who defeated the Blue Jackets 2–1 and took a 3–1 series lead. [110] In game two, with forty seconds remaining Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winning goal for Dallas defeating Calgary 5–4. NHL Studios takes you inside the bubble to provide an all-access pass to this historic and unprecedented season. On December 10, 2019, head coach Jim Montgomery was dismissed due to "unprofessional conduct inconsistent with the core values and beliefs" of both the team and the league, and was replaced by Rick Bowness. [101] In game three, the Golden Knights continued their win streak, defeating the Blackhawks 2–1 on Marc-Andre Fleury's 26 saves. During the offseason, Dallas signed forwards Corey Perry and Joe Pavelski as well as defenceman Andrej Sekera in free agency. 3 seed in West", "Stars use big rally to eliminate Flames in Game 6 of Western First Round", "Stars top Avalanche in Game 7, advance to Western Conference Final", "Stars defeat Golden Knights in OT in Game 5, reach Stanley Cup Final", "Lightning sign goaltender Curtis McElhinney to two-year contract", "Lightning sign defenseman Luke Witkowski to two-year contract", "Lightning sign defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to one-year contract", "Lightning sign free agent forward Pat Maroon for one year", "Lightning sign goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to 8-year extension", "Lightning re-sign forward Cedric Paquette to two-year contract", "Lightning re-sign forward Brayden Point to three-year contract", "Lightning acquire Blake Coleman from Devils for Nolan Foote, first-round pick", "Lightning sign free agent defenseman Zach Bogosian", "Stamkos injured in Phase 2, expected to play for Lightning in Qualifiers", "Flyers defeat Lightning in round-robin, win Eastern Conference top seed", "Lightning top Blue Jackets in overtime in Game 5, win Eastern First Round", "Lightning eliminate Bruins in 2OT of Game 5, advance to Eastern Final", "Lightning defeat Islanders in OT in Game 6, advance to Cup Final", "Stars defeat Lightning in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final", "Lightning hold off Stars in Game 2, even Stanley Cup Final", "Stamkos, Lightning defeat Stars in Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final, take lead", "Lightning defeat Stars in OT in Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final, extend lead", "Stars stay alive, defeat Lightning in 2OT in Game 5 of Cup Final", "Lightning shut out Stars, win Cup in Game 6", "Lightning win Stanley Cup, defeat Stars in Game 6 of Final", "NHL releases rosters for Stanley Cup Qualifiers", "Lightning's Stamkos to be limited in camp due to new lower-body injury", "Lightning see names engraved on Stanley Cup for first time", "NHL media remain in flux while awaiting finalized coverage plans ahead of restart", "Doc Emrick will call Islanders-Lightning series starting in Game 4", "Legendary NHL broadcaster Mike 'Doc' Emrick announces his retirement", History of the NHL on United States television, NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020_Stanley_Cup_Finals&oldid=1006489989, Ice hockey events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, John Klingberg (16), Alexander Radulov (9).