Rookie Ross Colton gives Lightning the lead with big Game 5 goal (Video)

Rookie Ross Colton helped give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 1-0 lead in the second period of Game 5 against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had the opportunity to close out the Stanley Cup Final in Game 4, but could not capitalize on a four-minute power play, paving the way for the Montreal Canadiens to win 3-2 in overtime. Even so, the Lightning still have the chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Lightning and Canadiens were scoreless until midway through the second period. Defenseman David Savard skated into Montreal’s zone and unleashed a pass to rookie forward Ross Colton, who was standing in front of the net. The pass hit Colton’s stick and went past goaltender Carey Price to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.

That proved to be the decisive goal, as the Lightning defeated the Canadiens in five games to strike twice as Stanley Cup champions.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1412951675569065990

Lightning: Ross Colton scores huge second-period goal in Game 5 vs. Canadiens

That is a goal Colton will remember for quite some time. Come on, it is the Stanley Cup-clinching goal, after all.

In the regular season, Colton scored nine goals and recorded three assists through 30 games. Entering Wednesday night, Colton recorded five points (three goals, two assists) on 31 shots through 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Tampa Bay did not have the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup in front of their fans last season due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they had the opportunity to do so this year inside a packed Amalie Arena on Wednesday. Not only that, but the Lightning became the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since the Pittsburgh Penguins did so in 2016 and 2017.

Colton got the goal, and the Lightning closed out Game 5 to hoist the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year.