A Texas boy helped make it Tampa Bay's night on Monday in Edmonton.
Blake Coleman (Miami), a forward from Plano, TX scored a second-period insurance goal and the Tampa Bay Lightning went on to defeat the Dallas Stars, 2-0, in Game 6 of the best-of-seven series and claim the 2020 Stanley Cup. It was the Lightning's second Cup in three Final appearances all-time, and its first NHL playoff title since 2004.
Drafted 75th overall by New Jersey in 2011, Coleman, who grew up as a Stars fan, played parts of four NHL seasons with the Devils before being traded to Tampa Bay in February. After tallying one assist in nine regular-season outings, he finished with five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 25 Stanley Cup playoff contests over the last two months in the postseason bubbles of Toronto and Edmonton. Those sites were made necessary by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that canceled the remainder of the NHL regular season in March.
Coleman, 28, prepped with Tri-City and Indiana in the USHL before skating for Miami from 2011 to 2015, where he notched 60 goals and 107 points in 143 NCAA games. He also led the Red Hawks to the 2013 CCHA regular-season title, the 2015 NCHC postseason crown, and the 2015 NCAA tournament. A bronze medal winner with the U.S. at the 2018 World Championship in Denmark, he has already registered 57-38—95 points in 246 NHL regular-season games.
Also on Tampa Bay's roster this season from the NCAA ranks were Alexander Killorn (Harvard), Kevin Shattenkirk (Boston University), Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin), Luke Witkowski (Western Michigan), Cory Conacher (Canisius) and Curtis McElhinney (Colorado College).
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