The weekend began with the Tampa Bay Lightning defeating the New York Rangers to win the NHL Eastern Conference.


Stamkos leads Lightning back to Stanley Cup Final with a pair of goals
A Stanley Cup Final 20 Years in the Making for the Colorado Avalanche


At the same time as the Lightning go back to the Stanley Cup Final for the third year in a row, it is the end of another era. The long running Jaromir Jagr connection to the Stanley Cup Final has ended. It can of course start up again, there’s still plenty of young players still in the league who played with him in his final years with the Panthers, but it’s the end of the continuous streak.

The Stanley Cup Final schedule is out. All games announced so far will be at 8:00 p.m. ET and broadcast on CBC, SN, and ABC, though the final three “if necessary” games could have a different schedule, but that seems unlikely.

Game #1: Lightning @ Avalanche, Wednesday June 15
Game #2: Lightning @ Avalanche, Saturday June 18
Game #3: Avalanche @ Lightning, Monday June 20
Game #4: Avalanche @ Lightning, Wednesday June 22
Game #5: Lightning @ Avalanche, Friday June 24
Game #6: Avalanche @ Lightning, Sunday June 26
Game #7: Lightning @ Avalanche, Tuesday June 28

There’s two key players out injured on both sides, and both teams are being coy about whether or not Nazem Kadri and Brayden Point will be back to play for the first game of the series.

Other News

The women’s under-18 world championship has reached the final games, and it will be Canada vs. USA for the gold medal again, though the USA had a scare in their semi-final with Sweden holding them to a tie before they pulled ahead late in the third period. Team Canada made the final by defeating Finland, with up and coming star Jade Iginla scoring the first goal of the game.

Florida Everblades Win ECHL’s Kelly Cup - On the Forecheck
It’s the Nashville Predators affiliate’s second ECHL championship.

Sources: Flyers narrow down coaching search with Trotz and Tortorella - Daily Faceoff
Trotz, 59, has received reported expressions of interest for four other head coaching vacancies. Tortorella, 63, was believed to have completed his second interview on Thursday in Philadelphia. He is the second-winningest American-born coach in NHL history, behind former Flyers coach Peter Laviolette.

A note for those not familiar with the terminology, in camera is Latin and means the meeting will be held privately, and not broadcast on TV or have public minutes published.