Canadiens fans go wild after team defeats Golden Knights to make Stanley Cup Final
It's the first time Montreal will be in the Stanley Cup Final since 1993
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montreal Canadiens fans were jubilant after the team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 28 years.
Artturi Lehkonen was able to get a shot past Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner to give the Canadiens the overtime victory in Game 6. Lehkonen had four shots on goal the entire night and the final shot was the most important one for Montreal.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Immediately after the buzzer sounded, Canadiens fans celebrated.
Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin was running around in excitement in his suite.
Montreal has the most Stanley Cup championships in NHL history. The team won its first as a member of the National Hockey Association and 23 others when they moved to the NHL. It will be their 35th appearance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CANADIENS BACK IN STANLEY CUP FINAL AFTER 28-YEAR ABSENCE
Montreal Canadiens fans celebrate on Rue Rene Levesque after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime in Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series Thursday, June 24, 2021 in Montreal. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Canadiens fans celebrate on Rue Rene Levesque after the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime in Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series Thursday, June 24, 2021 in Montreal. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press via AP)
But it’s been 28 years since the Canadiens had a chance to vie for the title. Jacques Demers was in his first season as the Canadiens’ coach. Vincent Damphousse and Kirk Mulller were leading the team in scoring.
The Canadiens’ scoring started in the first period when Shea Weber put the team up one goal. Vegas’ Reilly Smith would tie the game less than a minute later.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montreal would go back up in the second period when Cole Caufield put together a nifty move in the neutral zone and fired a shot past Lehner. But even Carey Price’s most valiant efforts couldn’t keep Vegas from tying the game.
Police move around the Bell Centre, where thousands of Montreal Canadiens fans have assembled for Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup semifinal playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, in Montreal, Thursday, June 24, 2021. Today is also the provincial holiday of Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press via AP)
Alec Martinez tied the game more than a minute into the third period. It was Martinez’s fourth goal of the playoffs.
Lehner couldn’t keep the Canadiens at bay in overtime.
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Montreal awaits the winner of the series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.