The 2020 Stanley Cup Final was the
championship series of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
's (NHL)
2019–20 season and the culmination of the
2020 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2019–20 season. The playoffs began on August 1, 2020, and concluded on September 28, 2020, with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning their second ...
. This series was between the
Eastern Conference champion
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
and the
Western Conference champion
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
. The Lightning won the
best-of-seven series, four games to two, for their second championship in franchise history. The Lightning had home-ice advantage in the series with the better regular season record. The series began on September 19 and concluded on September 28. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the entire series was played
behind closed doors
Behind Closed Doors may refer to:
Film, television and radio Film
* ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1929 film), an early talkie starring Virginia Valli
* Behind Closed Doors (1961 film), ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1961 film), an Italian comedy film by Dino ...
at
Rogers Place
Rogers Place is a multi-use indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Construction started in March 2014, and the building officially opened on September 8, 2016. The arena has a seating capacity of 18,347 as a ice hockey, hockey venue and 20,73 ...
in
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
. The pandemic resulted in the league suspending the regular season on March 12, 2020, and then scheduling a special 24-team playoff format to be held in two neutral "hub cities" (
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
and
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
) that began on August 1.
Thus it became the first Stanley Cup Final to be played in the month of September.
This was the first Stanley Cup Final since to be played entirely outside the
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 U.S. states, states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico.
* Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five ...
, the first since to be played entirely in one location, the first since to be played entirely in Canada, and the first since to have the Stanley Cup awarded in a Canadian arena. This was the first Stanley Cup Final since to feature a neutral site game and the first Stanley Cup Final to feature two teams from the
American Sun Belt (
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
and
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
).
The
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
set the record for most playoff games played by a team in a single postseason at 27 games.
Paths to the Finals
Return to play
On March 11, 2020, the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
declared
COVID-19 to be a pandemic, and later that day, the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
suspended all games after players tested positive for the virus. One day later, the NHL announced that the 2019–20 season had been paused indefinitely.
On May 22, the league and the
NHLPA
The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA, ) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the Unite ...
agreed on a basic framework to stage a 24-team playoff tournament
behind closed doors
Behind Closed Doors may refer to:
Film, television and radio Film
* ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1929 film), an early talkie starring Virginia Valli
* Behind Closed Doors (1961 film), ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1961 film), an Italian comedy film by Dino ...
, conducted in two neutral "hub" cities to help protect teams from the virus. The details of the plan were announced publicly on May 26. The seeds would be based on each club's points percentage when the season paused on March 12, effectively scrapping the remainder of the regular season. In the opening round of the 24-team playoff format, the top four teams in each conference played each other in a separate seeding round-robin to determine the seeding in the first round. The eight lower seeded teams in each conference played in the qualifying round, a best-of-five series to advance to the next round. The first round through to the finals remained as best-of-seven series. On July 10, along with the ratification of an extension to the collective bargaining agreement, the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
and the
NHLPA
The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA, ) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the Unite ...
formally agreed to begin the playoffs on August 1 (concluding no later than early October), with games being hosted by
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
(Western Conference early rounds, conference finals, and Stanley Cup Final) and
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
(Eastern Conference early rounds). 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.
Dallas Stars
This was the franchise's fifth appearance in the finals. They won the Stanley Cup in
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
before losing the finals in
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
. They also made two appearances as the
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
in
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
and
1991
It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...
.
During the offseason, Dallas signed forwards
Corey Perry
Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...
and
Joe Pavelski
Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and ...
as well as defenceman
Andrej Sekera
Andrej Sekera (born 8 June 1986) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born and rai ...
in free agency. The team also re-signed defenceman
Taylor Fedun and forward
Jason Dickinson. The team made no trades during the regular 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
Richard Gary Bowness (born January 25, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey coach and player. He was selected in the second round, 26th overall, by the Atlanta Flames in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Bowness has also played for the D ...
. Before joining the Stars organization, Bowness had served as associate coach with the Lightning from 2013 to 2018.
When the regular season was suspended on March 12, 2020, the Stars had a 37–24–8 record and a .594 points percentage to finish third in the Central Division and fourth in the Western Conference. After play resumed in the hubs, Dallas placed third in the round robin. The Stars then defeated the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
in six games in the first round, the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
in seven games in the second round, and the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
in five games in the Western Conference finals.
Tampa Bay Lightning
This was the Tampa Bay Lightning's third appearance in the finals. They won the Stanley Cup in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
before losing the finals in
2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
.
During the offseason, Backup goaltender
Louis Domingue
Louis Boileau-Domingue (born March 6, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Domingu ...
was dealt to the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
. Defenseman
Anton Stralman
Anton may refer to: People
*Anton (given name), a list of people with the given name
*Anton (surname), a list of people with the surname
Places
*Anton Municipality, Bulgaria
**Anton, Sofia Province, a village
*Antón District, Panama
**Antón, ...
left the team in free agency after five seasons and signed a three-year contract with the inne-state rival
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
. Right winger
Ryan Callahan
Ryan Callahan (born March 21, 1985) is an American former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He currently serves as a studio and ...
's career was effectively ended when he was diagnosed with a degenerative back disease. Defenseman
Dan Girardi went unsigned over the summer and eventually announced his retirement from playing hockey effective immediately after his two-year contract he signed in 2017. To make up for these losses, Tampa Bay signed goaltender
Curtis McElhinney
Robert Curtis McElhinney (born May 23, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He previously played in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple L ...
, defencemen
Luke Schenn
Luke Schenn (born November 2, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Schenn played junior hockey with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his final ...
,
Luke Witkowski, and
Kevin Shattenkirk
Kevin Michael Shattenkirk (born January 29, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Tampa Ba ...
, and forward
Patrick Maroon
Patrick Maroon (born April 23, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Big Rig", Maroon played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Je ...
during free agency. Tampa Bay also re-signed goaltender
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
and forwards
Cedric Paquette
Cedric () is a given name invented by Walter Scott in the 1819 novel ''Ivanhoe''.
Etymology
The invented name is based on ''Cerdic'', the name of a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon king (itself from Brittonic '' Coroticus'').
Popularity
The name was ...
and
Brayden Point
Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft. ...
. During the regular season, the Lightning traded for forwards
Blake Coleman and
Barclay Goodrow
Barclay Goodrow (born February 26, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Goodrow play ...
. They also signed
Zach Bogosian
Zachary M. Bogosian (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional ice hockey Defenceman, defenseman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, ...
whose contract had been terminated by the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
during the season. 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.
When the regular season was suspended on March 12, the Lightning had a 42–21–6 record and a .657 points percentage to finish second in both the
Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. After play resumed in the hubs, Tampa Bay placed second in the round robin. The Lightning then defeated the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
in the first round, including winning game one of the series that became the fourth longest game in NHL history, and the
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy () is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e., best overall record) during the regular season. If two teams are tied for the most points, then the Trophy ...
-winning
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
in the second round in five games respectively. The Lightning then eliminated the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
in the Eastern Conference finals in six games.
Game summaries
:''Note: The numbers in parentheses represent each player's total goals or assists to that point of the entire playoffs.''
Game one

In the first period of game one, neither team produced many shots, yet each scored a goal. The first goal came from Stars defenceman
Joel Hanley who took an open pass from
Roope Hintz. Tampa Bay equalized the score on left winger
Yanni Gourde
Yanni Gourde (born December 15, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). An undrafted player, Gourde signed with the Lightning as a free agent in 2014, and won back-to- ...
's skate deflection. In the second period, both teams produced more shots, however, Dallas was up by two at the end of the period.
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamieson Oleksiak (born December 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Big Rig", Oleksiak was selected 14th overall in the first r ...
fired a wrist shot which rebounded back to him which he then shot it over Lightning goalie
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
to make it 2–1. The Stars' third goal started in their own end with
Esa Lindell passing to
Joel Kiviranta. 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. In the third period, the Stars played more defensively, putting up only two shots compared to the Lightning who fired twenty-two shots at
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
. The Stars held their ground for the remaining 20 minutes, and
Jason Dickinson's empty-net goal sealed a 4–1 victory for Dallas.
Game two
In game two, the Lightning struck three times in the first period. Twice on the power-play,
Victor Hedman
Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey), captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightni ...
and
Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov ...
set up both goal-scorers. The first came from a tic-tac-toe pass to
Brayden Point
Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft. ...
firing it past Stars goalie
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
. The second goal was another set-up pass; this time Kucherov fed it through the middle where
Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include:
* Ondrej Duda (born 1994), Slovak football player
* Ondrej Otčenáš (born 1987), Slovak ice hockey player
* Ondrej Nepela (1951–1989), Slovak figure ...
made it 2–0. The Lightning made it 3–0 when the Stars fumbled the puck in their own zone and
Anthony Cirelli
Anthony Cirelli (, ; born July 15, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Lightning in the third round (72nd overall) of t ...
gave it to
Kevin Shattenkirk
Kevin Michael Shattenkirk (born January 29, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Tampa Ba ...
, whose shot at the blue line deflected off of
Esa Lindell and past Khudobin. In the second period, the Stars shot eighteen times at
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
and caught a break on the power-play. During Palat's slashing penalty,
John Klingberg
John Andersson Klingberg (born 14 August 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 131st overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He is the y ...
's shot deflected off of fellow Stars forward
Joe Pavelski
Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and ...
to cut the score to 3–1. Later in the period, a hit on Stars player
Blake Comeau
Blake Comeau (born February 18, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, by the New York Islanders at the 2004 NHL Entry D ...
caused a skirmish to erupt, with Dallas players
Corey Perry
Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...
and Klingberg against
Cedric Paquette
Cedric () is a given name invented by Walter Scott in the 1819 novel ''Ivanhoe''.
Etymology
The invented name is based on ''Cerdic'', the name of a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon king (itself from Brittonic '' Coroticus'').
Popularity
The name was ...
and Hedman respectively. All players received simultaneous roughing penalties. In the third period, the Stars made it 3–2 when
Mattias Janmark
Mattias Janmark Nylén (born 8 December 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played in the NHL for the Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackh ...
's shot snuck past Vasilevskiy. The Lightning kept their offense going in the final 20 minutes, pouring twelve shots on Khudobin, holding off the Stars, and ending the game 3–2 to tie the series 1–1.
Game three

In game three, Dallas put the heat on
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
in the first period. However, among their sixteen shots, only one goal was successfully scored compared to the Lightning's two. Tampa Bay's first came from a misplay by
Miro Heiskanen
Miro Heiskanen (born 18 July 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ranked in the top ten eligible European skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ...
giving
Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov ...
a breakaway, sniping the puck past
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
. Their second goal came from their captain
Steven Stamkos
Steven Stamkos (born February 7, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Stamkos was selected first overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sta ...
returning from injury for his first game since being injured on February 25. After a rush by the Stars was stopped in the offensive zone,
Victor Hedman
Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey), captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightni ...
passed the puck to Stamkos, who was racing on the right side, upon which he fired his shot over Khudobin's blocker to make it 2–0. The Stars' lone goal of the period came short-handed when a shot by
Roope Hintz was stopped by Vasilevskiy. The rebound of that save went back to Hintz in the left corner who then passed to an open
Jason Dickinson, whose shot got through Vasilevskiy to make it 2–1. The Lightning had a more dominant approach in the second period, putting off 21 shots and scoring three times. The first goal came following
Alexander Radulov
Alexander Valerievich Radulov (; born 5 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey player for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He had previously had two separate stints with the Nashville Predators, the NHL team w ...
's hooking penalty which carried over from the first period. After a puck battle behind the net,
Anthony Cirelli
Anthony Cirelli (, ; born July 15, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Lightning in the third round (72nd overall) of t ...
, who was falling down on the play, passed to Hedman who shot the puck under Khudobin's stick into the net. Tampa Bay's fourth goal arrived when the Stars began a line change and a 3-on-1 developed with Kucherov leading the rush and
Brayden Point
Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft. ...
scoring the goal. The Lightning continued their offensive zone coverage towards the end of the period and in the final minute-and-a-half, Point fired a shot that rebounded to
Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include:
* Ondrej Duda (born 1994), Slovak football player
* Ondrej Otčenáš (born 1987), Slovak ice hockey player
* Ondrej Nepela (1951–1989), Slovak figure ...
, who put it into the net for a 5–1 lead. Dallas then pulled Khudobin before the third period, replacing him with
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
Jake Oettinger
Jakob Oettinger ( ; born December 18, 1998), nicknamed Otter or Phenomenotter, is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for Boston University during his collegiate care ...
. The Stars, showing some frustration, began roughing the Lightning on three occasions: the first with
Mattias Janmark
Mattias Janmark Nylén (born 8 December 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played in the NHL for the Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackh ...
and Palat; then both
Jamie Benn
Jamie Randolph Benn (born July 18, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
In the 2007 NHL entry draft, Benn was drafted by the Dallas Stars 129th overall. He ...
and
Jan Rutta, who had a skirmish after the play, both earning misconducts as a result; and an errant cross-check at 18:05 by
Joe Pavelski
Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and ...
on
Cedric Paquette
Cedric () is a given name invented by Walter Scott in the 1819 novel ''Ivanhoe''.
Etymology
The invented name is based on ''Cerdic'', the name of a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon king (itself from Brittonic '' Coroticus'').
Popularity
The name was ...
, which caused a ruckus with both teams. Heiskanen's goal gave the Stars some life in the third period, but Tampa Bay's defense kept the Stars at bay, winning the game 5–2 and taking a 2–1 series lead.
Game four

The Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a 2–0 deficit in game four. In the first period,
John Klingberg
John Andersson Klingberg (born 14 August 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 131st overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He is the y ...
gave the Stars their first goal of the game subsequently on their first shot. The Stars gained a 2–0 lead when
Jamie Benn
Jamie Randolph Benn (born July 18, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
In the 2007 NHL entry draft, Benn was drafted by the Dallas Stars 129th overall. He ...
set up
Joe Pavelski
Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and ...
, whose wrist shot got under
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
. Tampa Bay got on the board with 33 seconds remaining in the period. The play began when defenceman
Kevin Shattenkirk
Kevin Michael Shattenkirk (born January 29, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Tampa Ba ...
, from behind the Lightning net, gave an outstretched pass to
Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include:
* Ondrej Duda (born 1994), Slovak football player
* Ondrej Otčenáš (born 1987), Slovak ice hockey player
* Ondrej Nepela (1951–1989), Slovak figure ...
, who then passed across to the right boards to find a solitary
Brayden Point
Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft. ...
. He maneuvered around
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
, going to his backhand to score. Point then tied the game early in the second period, on the power-play. During the Stars' penalty,
Alex Killorn made a pass to the front, but the puck deflected off of
Andrej Sekera
Andrej Sekera (born 8 June 1986) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born and rai ...
's skate into the air, which Point then batted it into the net. The Stars soon regained the lead when
Tyler Seguin
Tyler Paul Seguin ( ; born January 31, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Growing up in Whitby, Ontario, Seguin began playing hockey in a house leag ...
's pass around Vasilevskiy got picked up by
Corey Perry
Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...
who, although tied up by
Cedric Paquette
Cedric () is a given name invented by Walter Scott in the 1819 novel ''Ivanhoe''.
Etymology
The invented name is based on ''Cerdic'', the name of a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon king (itself from Brittonic '' Coroticus'').
Popularity
The name was ...
, allowed the puck to trickle in off his stick. The Lightning tied the game up again when
Andrew Cogliano
Andrew Cogliano (born June 14, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, and Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). On December 31, ...
got caught for hooking and on the ensuing Tampa Bay power-play,
Mikhail Sergachev set up
Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov ...
for a one-timer, but the puck deflected off of
Esa Lindell to
Yanni Gourde
Yanni Gourde (born December 15, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). An undrafted player, Gourde signed with the Lightning as a free agent in 2014, and won back-to- ...
who shot it past Khudobin. In the third period, Killorn put the Lightning up 4–3 when he went out around the net and shot at the top corner behind Khudobin. Pavelski tied the game 4–4 after picking up the rebound of Seguin's shot and then launching the puck at Vasilevskiy which deflected off of Shattenkirk into the net. Into overtime, Benn pushed down
Tyler Johnson; controversially, he was called for tripping. While on the ensuing power-play,
Patrick Maroon
Patrick Maroon (born April 23, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Big Rig", Maroon played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Je ...
won an offensive zone face-off, sending it back to
Victor Hedman
Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey), captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightni ...
. Hedman then passed it to Shattenkirk, whose shot at a sharp angle went over Khudobin's right pad for the game-winning goal and a 3–1 series lead.
Game five
Corey Perry
Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...
opened the scoring in the first period of game five.
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamieson Oleksiak (born December 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Big Rig", Oleksiak was selected 14th overall in the first r ...
passed to
Tyler Seguin
Tyler Paul Seguin ( ; born January 31, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Growing up in Whitby, Ontario, Seguin began playing hockey in a house leag ...
, who then dropped it for Perry to score the initial goal for Dallas. In the second period, the Lightning struck back when
Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best players in the world, Kucherov ...
passed to
Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include:
* Ondrej Duda (born 1994), Slovak football player
* Ondrej Otčenáš (born 1987), Slovak ice hockey player
* Ondrej Nepela (1951–1989), Slovak figure ...
and he skated past the Dallas defencemen and goaltender
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
with a backhand to tie the game 1–1. The Lightning kept putting the pressure on the Stars for the remainder of the second period, firing away 13 shots. In the third period,
Mikhail Sergachev's blast from the point gave the Lightning a 2–1 lead. The Stars tied the game 2–2 when
Miro Heiskanen
Miro Heiskanen (born 18 July 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ranked in the top ten eligible European skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ...
's shot from the point rebounded to
Joe Pavelski
Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Pavelski attended the University of Wisconsin and ...
, who put it past
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
to break the record held by
Joe Mullen
Joseph Patrick Mullen (born February 26, 1957) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins betwe ...
for most career playoff goals scored by a US-born player. The two teams remained tied after the fact heading into overtime. In the first overtime, Dallas put up two shots compared to Tampa Bay's seven, but no goals were scored and the game continued on to double overtime. At 9:23 of the second overtime, Perry picked up a rebound from Seguin's shot and slid the puck past Vasilevskiy to give the Stars the game 3–2, forcing a sixth game.
Game six

In game six, the Lightning took a 1–0 lead in the first period. After
John Klingberg
John Andersson Klingberg (born 14 August 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 131st overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He is the y ...
was penalized for tripping, Brayden Point fired a wrist shot that flew past
Anton Khudobin
Anton Valerievich Khudobin (; born 7 May 1986) is a Kazakhstani-born Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently a free agent. He last played with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Nicknamed "Dobby", ...
after following the rebound of his own initial shot. Tampa Bay gained a 2–0 lead in the second period when a Stars turnover to
Patrick Maroon
Patrick Maroon (born April 23, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Big Rig", Maroon played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Je ...
got to
Cedric Paquette
Cedric () is a given name invented by Walter Scott in the 1819 novel ''Ivanhoe''.
Etymology
The invented name is based on ''Cerdic'', the name of a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon king (itself from Brittonic '' Coroticus'').
Popularity
The name was ...
, who set up
Blake Coleman for a one-timer. The Stars remained scoreless for the rest of the game, but they had a close chance in the second period when
Joel Kiviranta's shot was stopped by
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Lightning at the 2012 ...
with his skate. Although had a goal been scored, it would have been disallowed as
Corey Perry
Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...
was penalized for goaltender interference on the play. The Lightning held Dallas to just eight shots in the first two periods combined. Vasilevskiy continued his shutout in the third period, stopping all 22 shots by Dallas, earning his first playoff shutout. With a 2–0 victory, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their second Stanley Cup. Lightning defenceman
Victor Hedman
Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey), captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightni ...
was given the
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy () is awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs. It is named after Conn Smythe, the longtime owner, general manager, and head coach of the ...
as the most valuable player of the playoffs.
Team rosters
Years indicated in boldface under the "Finals appearance" column signify that the player won the Stanley Cup in the given year.
Dallas Stars
Tampa Bay Lightning
Stanley Cup engraving
The Stanley Cup was presented to Lightning captain Steven Stamkos by
NHL commissioner
The National Hockey League commissioner () is the highest-ranking corporate title, executive officer in the National Hockey League (NHL). The position was created in 1993; Gary Bettman was named the first commissioner and remains the only person t ...
Gary Bettman
Gary Bruce Bettman (born June 2, 1952) is an American sports executive who serves as the NHL commissioner, commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice preside ...
following the Lightning's 2–0 win in game six.
The following Lightning players and staff qualified to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup:
2019–20 Tampa Bay Lightning
Engraving notes
* Due to the shortened season, two players automatically qualified to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup despite not playing in at least 1 Stanley Cup Final game or at least 41 regular season games for Tampa Bay.
** #55
Braydon Coburn
Braydon Coburn (born February 27, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Coburn was originally selected in the first round, eighth overall, by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, beginning his NHL career wi ...
(D) – played in 40 regular season and 3 playoff games.
** #7
Mathieu Joseph
Mathieu Joseph (born February 9, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round, 120th overall, of the 2015 NHL entr ...
(RW) – played in 37 regular season games, but none in the playoffs.
*
Patrick Maroon
Patrick Maroon (born April 23, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Big Rig", Maroon played for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, New Je ...
became the third player in the expansion era to win back-to-back Stanley Cups with two different teams. Maroon won with
St. Louis
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
in
2019
This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year.
Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
and Tampa Bay in 2020. The only two other players who have won back to back cups with two different teams since 1967–68 are
Claude Lemieux
Claude Percy Lemieux (born July 16, 1965), is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six teams between 1983 and 2009. Lemieux won four Stanley Cup championships during his car ...
, who won in
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
with
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
and in
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
with
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
; and
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman (born December 20, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams between 1994 and 2011, winning the Stanley Cup twice. He is currently the He ...
, who won in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
with
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater i ...
and in
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
with
Carolina (the 2004–05 season was not played due to the
lockout). Additionally, Maroon's first name was listed simply as “Pat” on the 2020 engraving, after being listed as “Patrick” the prior year.
* In , when the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
won their first Stanley Cup,
Carter Verhaeghe
Carter Verhaeghe ( ; born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Toronto Mapl ...
became the first player to win a Stanley Cup with both teams from the state of Florida.
* #29
Scott Wedgewood
Scott Wedgewood (born August 14, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Wedgewood was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the third round (84th overall) of the 2010 ...
(G – 0 regular season games, 20 for
Syracuse
Syracuse most commonly refers to:
* Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse
* Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area
Syracuse may also refer to:
Places
* Syracuse railway station (disambiguation)
Italy
* Provi ...
of the
AHL). He did not play in or dress for any playoff games (he was a healthy scratch). He was the only player on the roster during the Final to be left off the Stanley Cup engraving due to not qualifying. He was included in the team picture.
Television and radio
In Canada, the series was broadcast by
Sportsnet
Sportsnet is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary sports broadcasting, sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture betw ...
and
CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Culture, language and peoples
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
* ''English'', an Amish ter ...
, and
TVA Sports
TVA Sports is a Canadian French-language sports specialty channel owned by the Groupe TVA, a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media. The channel is a general-interest sports network, and the first major competitor to RDS, the only other F ...
in
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
. In the United States, the finals were split between
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
(Games one, and four through six) and
NBCSN
NBCSN (also known as NBC Sports Network) was an American sports television television channel, channel owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It originally launched on July 1, 1995, as the Outdoor Lif ...
(Games two and three). The NHL initially had plans to produce broadcasts for each game using a skeleton crew on-site, such as cameramen and producers, and then each media partners' commentators on both TV and radio were to call the games remotely. The league then allowed both Sportsnet and NBC commentators into the hubs.
As he had been doing throughout the playoffs, 74-year-old NBC lead play-by-play commentator
Mike "Doc" Emrick called the Cup Finals off of monitors from his home studio in
Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and over 200 municipalities in the Southeast Michigan, surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the officia ...
, citing his advanced age as a potential risk for severe illness from COVID-19. These were the final games that Emrick called; he announced his retirement on October 19, 2020.
This also ended up the last Cup Finals called by 63-year-old CBC/Sportsnet lead play-by-play commentator
Jim Hughson
Jim Hughson (born October 9, 1956) is a retired Canadian sportscaster, best known for his play-by-play of the National Hockey League. He was the lead play-by-play commentator for the ''NHL on Sportsnet'' from 2014 to 2021 and ''Hockey Night in C ...
. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued into the
2020–21 season, Hughson reduced his schedule to only work national
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
home games.
He would later announce his retirement in September 2021.
Notes
References
External links
2020 Stanley Cup Final at NHL.com
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Stanley Cup Final
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
Stanley Cup Final
The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...
Dallas Stars games
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