Former RedHawk celebrates second straight Stanley Cup championship

Blake Coleman played key role throughout playoffs for Lightning

Credit: Gerry Broome

Credit: Gerry Broome

Former Miami RedHawks center Blake Coleman celebrated his second Stanley Cup championship Wednesday as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 1-0.

The Lightning won the series 4-1, becoming the first team to repeat as NHL champions since the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016-17).

“Back to back, baby!” Coleman shouted in a selfie video the Lightning shared on Twitter.

Coleman pointed his phone at himself and then at fans behind the glass as he circled the rink after the victory.

Coleman played for Miami from 2011-15. He ranks second in school history with 14 game-winning goals and 46th in career points (107).

Coleman made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils in 2016. He was traded to the Lightning in February 2020.

This season, Coleman had 14 goals and 17 assists in the regular season and three goals and eight assists in the playoffs.

Coleman’s diving goal with seconds to play in the second period in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup proved to be one of the defining moments of the series.

“I know the clock was winding down,” Coleman told reporters, “and I saw Goody (Barclay Goodrow) make that heads-up play in the neutral zone and give it a little poke past the D. So I tried to do whatever I could to give him an option and an incredible area pass from him and fortunately we beat the clock.”

Coleman last year became the fifth former Miami player to put his name on the Stanley Cup. He joins former RedHawk Alec Martinez (2012, 2014) as a two-time champ. Dan Boyle (2004), Kevyn Adams (2006) and Jeff Zatkoff (2016) round out Miami’s Stanley Cup winners.

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