Tampa Bay Lightning top NY Rangers 2-1, earning a spot in the Stanley Cup Final for a 3rd straight year

TAMPA, Fla. — Steven Stamkos scored two goals, and the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year after beating the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.

Stamkos put the Lightning ahead for good in the third period just 21 seconds after the Rangers’ Frank Vatrano scored on a power play with the Lightning captain in the penalty box for holding.

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Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat assisted on the winner with 6 ½ minutes left, with the puck deflecting off Stamkos’ knee and into the net after Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stopped the initial shot. Stamkos also scored on a wrist shot from the top of the right circle midway through the second period.

Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 20 saves for the Lightning, who won the series 4-2 — rattling off four straight victories after losing the first two games on the road — to advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche.

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Game 1 is Wednesday night in Denver.

Lightning center Steven Stamkos, center, celebrates his goal against the Rangers with Jan Rutta, right and left wing Ondrej Palat, left, during the second period in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday in Tampa, Fla. The Lightning won 2-1 to clinch the series and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Final. (Chris O’Meara/AP)