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Stanley Cup Finals Game 6: Simplicity Should Seal the Deal for the Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos and Andrei Vasilevskiy celebrate a goal against the Arizona Coyotes at Amalie Arena Thursday, January 9, 2019. Photo: NHL.

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Finals left Lightning fans fearful to what the series could look like. Dallas came off four rest days and hit the ice with speed, control, and physicality, winning 4-1. In Game 2 Tampa’s familiar hustle and resilience worked in their favor. The Lightning stormed the first period with three goals a couple minutes apart from one another: first Point, next Palat, lastly Shattenkirk.

Tampa’s defensive pairings have been playing outstanding and continued to do so. It all came down to Vasilevskiy, who only allowed one goal in the second and third period, helping the Bolts tie up the series 1-1 in a 3-2 win.

Game 3 was pure magic. Steven Stamkos suited up for the first time since Feb 25th, unleashing an emotional and electric energy throughout the team. More importantly, leave it to the Capitan to not just make an appearance, but an impact within his 2:47 of playing time. 6:58 into the first period, off a pass from Hedman, Stamkos gained control of the puck along the boards and takes a sharp angled shot to the far side on the net for a Tampa Bay goal. The response and support from the bench was moving! The Bolts built off of the play and presence of their Captain in the second period, scoring three more goals between Hedman, Point, and Palat.

Three players who have been leading contributors in Tampa’s playoff run. The Lightning closed out Game 3 with a 5-2 victory. Although everyone was hopeful for more Stamkos play, a Game 4 Stammer was ruled out. You could almost say the guys pulled off this overtime win to honor their Captain. Kevin Shattenkirk, with the winning overtime goal, gave Stamkos a big hug once they exited the ice.

For the first time since 2014 in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Stars and Lightning would face off in back to back games. Game 5, which took place Saturday, was a hard-fought game. Stars’ key player, Corey Perry got Dallas up 1 with less than 3 minutes left in the 1st period. Tampa has had a short response time most of playoffs when it comes to catching up on the board. 4:37 into the 2nd period, Ondrej Palat records his 11th goal of playoffs. The score remained tied until 3:38 into the third, when Sergachev gave Tampa Bay the lead, 2-1. As the game began to wind down and hopes of winning the cup in just under eight minutes, Dallas’ other driving force of the series, Joe Pavelski ties the game back up, meaning more overtime for the Lightning. OT one goes scoreless regardless of the offensive pressure laid on the Stars, and in OT two the Stars forced a Game 6 after Perry gets one past Vasilevskiy.

A tough loss, yes. At the end of the day it is the Stanley Cup Finals and teams find that extra gear right before its time to head home. Tampa has mentioned that their focus after games is to remain even keeled and turning the page to the next game. After the Game 5 loss, Victor Hedman said, “we’re a resilient group and we know how to respond to adversity” something the Bolts have proven time and time again.

According to Coach Cooper in his post-game presser, they played a winnable game, but they’ve been in this position before and rebounded. Cooper said, “I really like how we’ve responded after losses.” As for how this team keeps grinding through and staying unified, “There’s a focus with this group and a collective leadership with Stammer not in the lineup that has been exceptional” and quite obvious, every player on the roster has been ready to step up at any point of these series and made an impact in one way or another, no matter how big or small. After each loss, we have seen the Lightning follow up with a win and the same will be expected tonight as they stick to their game plan and style to close out the series.

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Kasey Hudson is Associate Sports Editor for Florida National News. | sports@floridanationalnews.com

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CARBAHN PEREGRINE RACING POWERS THROUGH SEBRING TRIALS, EYES REDEMPTION AT LAGUNA SECA

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Sebring, Florida. (March 18, 2024) — Following an intense showdown at the Sebring International Raceway, CarBahn Peregrine Racing experienced another rollercoaster of emotions in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Alan Jay Automotive Network 120 race.

Starting from the 4th row after a strong qualifying performance that landed them in 8th place, the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4, driven by Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal, showcased resilience and strategy throughout the race. With clean runs and impeccable pit stops, the team steadily climbed up the ranks, making their way to 4th place with only 2 laps remaining.

However, as the race entered its crucial final moments, the team faced a devastating setback. An ill-timed maneuver by the No. 69 Motorsports In Action McLaren Artura GT4, which incurred a subsequent penalty, saw it aggressively attempt to overtake Westphal’s No. 39 CarBahn Motorsports BMW M4 GT4 at Turn 3. This contact caused the No. 39 to spin out, dashing the team’s hopes of reaching the podium and resulting in a disappointing 9th place finish.

Despite the disappointment, Jeff Westphal’s stellar performance shone through with the second-best sector 1 time and the fastest time for sector 3, securing the team’s runner up spot in the ideal lap chart.

Looking ahead, CarBahn Peregrine Racing remains undeterred as they prepare for their next challenge. On May 11, the team will embark on a two-hour battle at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, eager to bounce back and reclaim their position at the forefront of the competition.

Jeff Westphal – driver of the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4

“A tough ending to an otherwise extremely positive day for the No. 39 Carbahn Peregrine Racing BMW M4. We had great pace on a single lap in the heat of the Florida sun, as well as a good long run average.

However some over zealous decisions by many of our competitors found our rear bumper in multiple ways and angles, one of which took me out of a fight for 2nd. I was able to get moving again in P10 and make it back up to P9 by the checkered, but a disappointment as a podium was within reach.

I would like to highlight the incredible job done by my team, and team mate this past weekend. We were firing on all cylinders as a group!”

Sean McAlister – driver of the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4

“Sebring was a tough one. We struggled with an unfavorable balance of power for the weekend which gave us more weight and less power compared to Daytona, while most of the other manufacturers got weight reduced and power increased. I did what I could in qualifying to put us in P8 to start the race.

The team gave Jeff and I an amazing race car to drive in order to be consistent, as that would be our only chances at doing well in the race. I was able to move the car up through the field a few positions while on track. After I handed it off to Jeff, he also did a great job moving the car through the field but unfortunately we got spun by a low percentage move while battling for a podium position with only a few laps to go, resulting in us finishing 9th.

Even though it wasn’t the result we wanted, it was important to get some points on the board for the championship. Can’t wait for Laguna Seca in a few weeks!”

Sameer Gandhi – team co-owner

“While Sebring brought moments of disappointment, it also showcased the incredible determination and skill of our drivers, Sean McAlister and Jeff Westphal. Despite facing setbacks beyond their control, they demonstrated unwavering commitment and resilience, pushing the No. 39 Accel / Menlo BMW M4 GT4 to its limits.

We acknowledge the outstanding effort put forth by every member of our team, from the drivers to the crew, whose dedication and hard work are the backbone of our success.

As we look forward to the upcoming race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, we remain focused and determined to bounce back stronger than ever. Our sights are set on reclaiming our position at the forefront of the competition, and I have full confidence in the ability of our team to rise to the challenge.”

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Buccaneers re-signed defensive lineman Greg Gaines

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers today re-signed defensive lineman Greg Gaines

Gaines enters his second season with Tampa Bay after originally signing with the Buccaneers as a free agent during the 2023 offseason. Over 76 career games, including 27 starts, Gaines has recorded 146 tackles, 29 quarterback hits, 11.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries.

Prior to arriving in Tampa Bay, Gaines played four seasons for the Los Angeles Rams, who selected him in the fourth round (No. 134 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The La Habra, California, native played collegiately at Washington.

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Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

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Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

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