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Lightning return to cup finals with game 7 shutout

*Photo from the Los Angeles Daily News*
Tampa Bay wins series 4-3
   The defending Stanley cup champions will have a shot to stay on top of the hockey world. And this time, it won't be in a bubble, it'll be in front of their own fans in Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 1-0 on Friday night, clinching their second straight Stanley cup finals appearance. 

   The game's lone goal came from Yanni Gourde, who scored 1:49 into the second period on a shorthanded goal, giving the Lightning a 1-0 lead at the time, which they were able to hold on to in order to advance to the cup finals.

   Lightning coach Jon Cooper said "We've come such a long way, I've been with this group for a while. It's so darn hard to win in this league, but last year, I just found we could win in different ways, but in the end, just the warrior mentality this group had, and it was prevalent tonight. After a really tough loss the other night, you just can't count them out. They've just learned how to defend, and again another masterful performance in the defensive zone to win a huge Game 7 for us."

   Andrei Vasilevskiy picked up another series clinching shutout for the Lightning, and also his first game 7 win, having gone 0-2 in previous game 7's in his career. Vasilevskiy stopped all 18 shots he faced from the Islanders, with his defense blocking 21 shots before they got to him. 

   Cooper said of Vasilevskiy that "In the end, you need the goalie to make the stops at times when everything else breaks down, and Vasy is showing time and time again that he can do that. To elevate your game and have the fortitude to grind through series-clinching, potential season-ending games and rise to the occasion, we're throwing around the world special, Vasy's special."

   Semyon Varlamov took the loss for the Islanders, saving 30 of 31 shots for a stunning .968 save percentage. Varlamov was dominant for the Islanders, but Vasilevskiy was perfect and Varlamov wasn't, which is why the Islanders are going home.

   Islanders forward Mat Barzal said "It stinks getting back to this point and coming up short again. We've got guys like Josh Bailey and Andy Greene, veteran guys. Being a young guy, I've got a few more years, but those guys, it's more for those guys. It hurts seeing those guys in the locker room afterwards, just how close we were."

   The Lightning will face the Montreal Canadiens in game one of the Stanley cup final, which begins on Monday night. The Islanders head home to Long Island, to get ready to move into their new stadium next season. 

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