Tampa Bay Lightning oust New York Rangers, seal 'unbelievable' third straight berth in Stanley Cup Final

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning are four wins away from becoming the first NHL team since 1983 to win three straight Stanley Cup championships.

«To get there the first time was a dream come true. To get there a second time, the next year, was a dream too. There was no way we were going back. To go a third time is unbelievable,» Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. «To watch [the players'] growth, watch the pain… I'm utterly impressed by what they do to win a hockey game. Nobody would fault them for saying, 'Hey, we won one or two.' But to come back and go for a third? I'm damn impressed.»

But just like in a video game, the final boss is their toughest, most formidable opponent. The Colorado Avalanche went 12-2 in winning the Western Conference crown, including a perfect 7-0 away from Denver. They're averaging 4.64 goals scored per game. They're star-studded, deeply talented and as close to a juggernaut as these playoffs have produced.

«Colorado? Probably the best team in the League,» said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, who scored both goals in their 2-1 Game 6 win to eliminate the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night.

«As you progress through the playoffs, each round gets tougher and each opponent gets tougher,» he said. «There's a reason why there's two teams left, and it's because they're the two best teams in the league. We're going to have our hands full.»

Stamkos said the Avalanche were a team the Lightning expected to have played already in the Stanley Cup Final. But Colorado failed to advance past the second round in three straight postseasons prior to this one.

«Now they've broken through. They have just an unbelievable mix of veteran players, star power, grinders, goalie. A