The Lightning had their backs against the wall on Friday night in Denver. But Tampa Bay didn’t fold. Already down 3-1 in the series in the Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche (-1.5), Andrei Vasilevskiy and co. responded the way you’d expect any two-time defending champion to do: with desperation and heart.
Thanks to their 3-2 win on the strength of Ondrej Palat’s clutch goal, the Lightning put themselves nearly on the brink of membership to one of the NHL’s more exclusive clubs. We’re talking about them becoming one of the only squads in the entire league’s history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in a Cup Final.
Who’s the only current squad to have managed such an achievement? Go ahead. I’ll give you one guess. Really think about it because it’s not a franchise you’ll expect.
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Stumped? Okay, here goes: (For now) the 1942 Maple Leafs are the only team to ever come back from 3-1 in a Stanley Cup Final when they beat Ebbie Goodfellow’s Red Wings. Take a bow Syl Apps!
ONDREJ FREAKIN' PALAT pic.twitter.com/wmdL8tirfg
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2022
Of course, the Lightning still has a ways to go before they can match the Leafs. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Unfortunately, they’ll never be able to match Toronto in one spot: the Leafs actually came back from a 3-0 series deficit. Oh well. I’m sure no one in Tampa Bay would begrudge the comeback anyway.
