TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning earned one trophy on Monday night. Starting next month, they’ll be one of the favorites in the chase for the Stanley Cup.
The Lightning clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the top regular-season mark in the league with a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes.
The Lightning, who have 56 wins and 116 points, will try to become the ninth Presidents’ Trophy winner to win the Cup. The Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded by the NHL in 1985-86.
Keller opened the scoring 5:03 into the game, taking a drop pass from Christian Dvorak for a one-timer past Vasilevskiy. Stamkos tied the score 1:51 later, tipping Ryan McDonagh’s shot.
“It’s probably one of the best games we have played in the season so it’s kind of sour to walk away with no points to be honest with you,” Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson said.