Colorado, already crowned in 1996 and 2001, dominated the series 4-2 and above all put an end to the reign of Tampa Bay, which had been flying over the NHL since the 2019-20 season thanks in particular to its two Russians, the prolific striker Nikita Hucherov and goalkeeper Andri Vasilevskiy.

While they had only one game to win to celebrate their victory, the Avalanche players had blown a cartridge by bowing Friday in front of their audience (3-2).

But they knew how to react perfectly in Tampa Bay to avoid a final meeting under tension in Denver.

The outcome of this final, played in the best of seven sets, owes a lot to Nathan MacKinnon, author of a goal and an assist.

"It's incredible, dropped the hero of the evening. It's hard to explain. Words can't describe what I'm feeling right now."

On the other hand, it was his Canadian teammate Cale Makar who was named best player of the play-offs having scored 8 goals and delivered 21 assists in 19 matches.

"It's so great to be part of this group and to be rewarded, said the 23-year-old defenseman. I'm so proud of the boys. I grew up with the images of the Stanley Cup on the walls of my room. It's surreal and amazing."

"The last three years have been incredible, acknowledged Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos. For many other teams, it would be called an incredible season, but for us it's a disappointing end."

In this 2022 final, Colorado, alternate scorers of Nashville (4-0), St. Louis (4-2) and Edmonton (4-0), always raced in the lead by winning the first two meetings at home. , including the second where the Avalanche buried the Lightning 7-0.

Tampa Bay had regained hope by offering their third duel in Florida 6-2, but Colorado broke again to lead 3-1 before missing a first chance to close the series definitively on Friday.

Colorado, carried by MacKinnon (32 goals in the regular season), had finished with the second best record in the first phase of the 2021-22 Championship.

Prior to this season, the Avalanche hadn't made it past the conference semifinals since 2002. Just five seasons ago, the Denver franchise was the laughingstock of the NHL after finishing the 2016-17 regular season with a calamitous record of 22 wins and 60 losses, one of the worst in history.

Tampa Bay French striker Pierre-Edouard Bellemare faces Colorado goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida BRUCE BENNETT GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

As in 2018 with Las Vegas, Tampa Bay's French striker Pierre-Edouard Bellemare fails for his part in the final and did not join goalkeeper Cristobal Huet who remains the only Habs to have lifted the Stanley Cup, with Chicago in 2010 .

Ironically, Bellemare, 37, had played the previous two seasons for Colorado.

js/kn

© 2022 AFP