Lightning Strikes | Lightning head to Montreal with eyes on Stanley Cup

Plus: On Andrei Vasilevskiy's Vezina Trophy snub

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View on the web Go to our home page Subscribe to the Times Friday, July 2, 2021 Forward this to a friend Subscribe to more newsletters [DIRK SHADD | Times ] Lightning head to Canada again with chance to return with the Stanley Cup The last time the Lightning played in Canada, they were in a bubble. Nine months after emerging from isolation with the Stanley Cup, they've gone back into a bubble in Montreal.  The NHL was able to work out a deal with the Canadian government to grant the teams exemptions to travel across the border without quarantining, but when the Lightning arrived in Montreal, they were limited to their hotel and the arena.  "That's the irony, right?" Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "Just last year at this time, we're in the exact same spot, confined in a hotel room. The whole bubble circumstances are coming full circle again and it's crazy that we're back in it again. But it's something we're most definitely comfortable with. We spent 65 days in a hotel last playoffs and we played in front of no fans, so we're comfortable with that situation." After playing in front of arenas growing in capacity throughout the playoffs, including the Lightning's first full-capacity crowd in Game 2, the crowd at Montreal's Bell Centre will be limited to 3,500 fans.  Cooper has fond memories of the Bell Centre because his first playoff series as an NHL coach was against the Canadiens, and even though he grew up on Canada's left coast, he watched Canadiens play on Hockey Night in Canada as a kid.  There will likely be more fans outside the Bell Centre rooting for Canada's first Stanley Cup since 1993. Hockey is Canada's sport, after all.  "It's unfortunate that only 3,500 people can be there, but I guess some is better than nothing and it is much better playing in front of fans, there's no question," Cooper said.  How will the Lightning react to a different atmosphere? Remember, the bubble environment allowed them to bond as a team, and they point to the unique experience as a big reason why they came together during the restart and won the Cup.  Can history repeat itself in a similar situation? Gain unlimited access to Lightning, Buccaneers and Rays coverage for about $1 a week! Subscribe now [DIRK SHADD | Times ] Stanley Cups, not Vezinas, will define Vasilevskiy How did Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy get snubbed for this year's Vezina Trophy?  The voting committee of the league's 31 general managers either didn't see enough Lightning games where Vasilevskiy was clutch as the league top goaltender or they wanted to make this year's trophy a lifetime achievement award and give it to Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury. As outraged as Lightning fans were that Vasilevskiy didn't win the coveted top goaltender prize — he will have to settle for being named an NHL first-team all-star, an honor selected by the writers — there really wasn't much talk about it around the team. Was Vasilevskiy's phenomenal 42-save performance in the Lightning's Game 2 win motivated by the snub? Maybe a little bit, but what's more important to Vasilevskiy and the Lightning is a different piece of hardware: The Stanley Cup.   Meanwhile, Vasilevskiy will continue to build a resume comparable to some of the game's greatest. His greatest curse might be that he's on a great team. As columnist John Romano points out, he's not a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe Trophy, and no matter how deserving he might be, he'll likely have a hard time beating out Nikita Kucherov or Brayden Point as the postseason MVP.  [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ] In case you missed it... Amalie Arena as celebrity central: John Travolta joins list of famous faces How Yanni Gourde became the player the Lightning look to for a boost Lightning's Stanley Cup journey runs right through hockey's homeland Game story: Lightning reach deep for Game 2 win over Canadiens  Photo gallery: Lightning beat Canadiens at home in Game 2 Blake Coleman gives Lightning a goal that will last forever This fan dances his heart out at Lightning home playoff games WWE's Titus O'Neil surprises Tampa fire captain with Stanley Cup tickets Thanks in part to the Lightning, hockey experiencing a huge warming trend Q&A: Former Lightning forward Ryan Callahan talks Cup, Olympics & ESPN How does the Amalie Arena ice stay frozen in July? Grieving family brings avid Lightning fan to games in spirt and photos   Stanley Cup final: Lightning vs. Canadiens Lightning lead the series 2-0 Game 1: Lightning 5, Canadiens 1 Game 2: Lightning 3, Canadiens 1 Game 3: Tonight at Bell Centre, Montreal, 8 p.m., NBC Game 4: Monday at Bell Centre, Montreal, 8 p.m., NBC   Game 5: Wednesday at Amalie Arena, Tampa, 8 p.m., NBC* Game 6: July 9, at Bell Centre, Montreal, 8 p.m., NBC* Game 7: July 11, at Amalie Arena, Tampa, 7 p.m., NBC* (*If necessary) Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieInTheYard. Did someone forward this to you? Get Lightning Strikes in your own inbox next time. It's free to subscribe. Sign up here. Contact us Privacy policy Terms, conditions & copyright Standard of accuracy © 2021 • All Rights Reserved Tampa Bay Times • 490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 To ensure this email is delivered to your inbox, add custserv@elist.tampabay.com to your address book. 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