NEWS

EDMONTON, Alta. - A Game 6 win over the New York Islanders sealed the deal for the Tampa Bay Lightning as the club punched its ticket to the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals with a 2-1 overtime victory Thursday. 

Tampa's Barclay Goodrow is a former Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) AP and he assisted on former Mississaga Charger AP Anthony Cirelli's series-winning overtime goal. Goodrow and Cirelli are joined by captain Steven Stamkos as Ontario Hockey Association alumni on the Lighting squad. 

The Lightning will face the Dallas Stars in the 'bubble' edition of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals which gets under way Sat., Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. EST. 

Tampa Bay will have home-ice advantage in the series, although neither team will be playing on its actual home-ice. This will be the Lightning's first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 2015. Tampa Bay won its first and lone Stanley Cup championship in 2005 when the club defeated the Calgary Flames. Their opponent, the Dallas Stars, have not won the Stanley Cup since its last trip to the finals in 2000.

Tampa Bay's win ended a great playoff for the Islanders who boasted four OHA alumni of its own. Isles OHA alum includes Josh Bailey (Bowmanville, OJHL), Michael Dal Colle (St. Michael’s, OJHL), Cal Clutterbuck (Welland, GOJHL) and Matt Martin (Blenheim, PJHL, Sarnia, GOJHL).

Here's how the Stanley Cup finalist Tampa Bay Lightning with OHA ties have performed in the postseason thus far. 

Tampa Bay Lightning

Steven Stamkos* (Markham, OJHL)
Statistics: 0 GP - 0G - 0A - 0 Pts

Anthony Cirelli* (Mississauga, OJHL)
Statistics: 19 GP - 3G - 3A - 6 Pts

Barclay Goodrow* (Villanova, OJHL)
Statistics: 19 GP - 1G - 4A - 5 Pts