The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth match of the Stanley Cup Finals to win the NHL Major Trophy for the second time in a row. On this occasion, the top scorer of the playoffs Nikita Kucherov held a press conference, coming to it with a naked torso after celebrating in the locker room. First of all, he praised the goalkeeper Andrey Vasilevsky, who was recognized as the most valuable player in the tournament.
“Vasya was wonderful, he is the most valuable player.
Every day I told him: "Vasya, you are the MVP, you are the best player."
And this year they gave Vezin to some guy from Vegas (Marc-André Fleury. -
RT
).
Last year they also awarded someone else (Connor Hellebike -
RT
).
That's bullshit.
Vasya won two Stanley Cups, became an MVP.
This guy is fucking the best.
He gave his best today, left us in the game.
On account of his one more "cracker" - amazing.
There is nothing more to add, I am glad, ”Kucherov said.
The striker told how, as a child, he realized that his team-mate would be one of the best hockey goalkeepers in the world.
According to Kucherov, Vasilevsky is always trying to become better, although he has already reached perfection.
“He's a very humble guy.
He doesn't want people around him to say that he is the best.
He wants to prove it to me, but I already know that he is the best, you know?
He wants to prove it to me, but I say: "Vasya, you proved everything to me long ago, even when I was 15 years old."
And although the NHL deprives him every year and does not give "Vezin", he is still humble and still works hard.
In any other league, he would take Vezina every year and break all records.
He is the best, ”the forward summed up.
Kucherov also spoke provocatively against the Canadiens fans.
He was surprised how happy they were with the victory in the previous match, although they were still on the verge of defeat in the entire series.
“I didn't want to go back to Montreal.
The fans there acted as if they had won the last Stanley Cup match.
Are you kidding me?
Your final was in the last round, ”Kucherov added.
No shirt.
Cold beer.
"@JoeSmithTB let's hear it."
😂
Nikita Kucherov with a legendary press conference following the Stanley Cup Final.
🎥 @ BradyTrettpic.twitter.com / twmdVUX9SW
- The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) July 8, 2021
Last year's Stanley Cup MVP Viktor Hedman couldn't help but praise Vasilevsky.
He noted that all Russians, including Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev, made a great contribution to the championship.
“Vasya is a real fighter.
He is never satisfied and constantly wants to progress.
I don’t know what’s the matter with these Russian guys, but they are real fighters.
Kuch, Sergi, Vasya - it is always not enough for them, they constantly work up to the seventh sweat.
Vasya fully deserves "Conn Smythe".
He made another shutout in the decisive game.
What other words are needed here? "
- quoted Hedman on the official website of the NHL in Russian.
The winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy himself, Vasilevsky, before the fifth match with Montreal, recalled how in the 2015 Stanley Cup final, Tampa lost his away to the Chicago Blackhawks.
“Usually, before the games, I try not to think about anything extraneous, but this morning, for some reason, thoughts about 2015 came into my head.
Then “Chicago” beat us, it seems, 2: 0, and I remembered how happy their fans were.
It's great that today we also brought pleasant emotions to our fans, ”Vasilevsky said.
Tampa head coach John Cooper also spoke about how pleasant it is to win in front of native fans.
He also talked about how long it took to build the team that fans can now respectfully call a dynasty.
“This is why we play hockey: to evoke emotions in people. We didn't have that last year. And now, at this moment, I was next to my children, and this is a special feeling. We got two completely different victories. Alone without fans, in an unusual bubble setting. The second is at home, in front of your fans. No one could have written a better script. I remember how in 2015 everyone was saying what a young and talented team we are and what a bright future awaits us. Then we could not even repeat the final, and we were all written off. Now we have won twice in a row, and you ask me if we can be considered a dynasty. What a turn, huh? " Cooper said.
Tampa captain Steven Stamkos told how he teased partners, reminding them that they may not have another chance to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in a row. He also admitted that he was not upset by the defeat in the previous match, since after him the final moved to Florida.
“As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. If we had solved the case in the fourth game, we would not have been able to share the joy with our fans as we do today. This is the main gift that we received from fate - to be at such a moment next to our loved ones and our fans. In an era of wage caps, it is difficult to build a champion team, but even harder to keep one. We discussed several times in the dressing room that this group of players might have their last chance to win something together: “Guys, let's take this opportunity! We may not have it anymore. " It was a sin to let her go with such a talented team, ”Stamkos said.