Lightning’s Pat Maroon's streak of consecutive Stanley Cups ends at three
The Stanley Cup won’t be visiting the Maroon household this summer.
Pat Maroon, who’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion, had his streak snapped by the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, as the Tampa Bay Lightning lost in six games. This ended the 34-year-old’s three-year championship stretch, which began in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues.
The 2007 161st-overall selection captured his first-ever Stanley Cup when St. Louis defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games during the 2019 playoffs. He then followed that up by winning two more championships with Tampa Bay, his first over the Dallas Stars in 2020 and the second in 2021 over the Montreal Canadiens.
It’ll certainly be an unusual feeling to watch Lord Stanley’s cup being hoisted by someone other than Maroon, which hasn’t happened since Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals won it all in 2018.
Losing on the NHL’s biggest stage is always difficult to handle afterwards, especially for someone who’s won three straight championships.
While speaking to reporters post-game, Maroon was very emotional when asked about what it’s like to lose in the Cup Final for the first time in his career. And understandably so. Not many in the history of the NHL can say they were a three-time defending champion.
Summer won’t be the same without you, @patmaroon.
— The Stanley Cup (@StanleyCup) June 27, 2022
Of course, Maroon was never the most valuable player on the team during any of his four straight Cup Final appearances. Still, he found a way to be impactful, scoring seven goals and 16 points in 71 playoff games with Tampa Bay. He also posted three goals and seven points with St. Louis during the 2019 post-season.
The St. Louis, Missouri native’s physicality has served as a key element of his craft in the playoffs, resulting in 151 hits with the Lightning and 54 with the Blues in the postseason. At 6-foot-3, 238-pounds, he’s rarely shied away from throwing his body around during the most crucial time of the season.
“It sucks.”
— #Gobolts Pat Maroon, tears welling up in his eyes. pic.twitter.com/VAHk8H5l95— Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) June 27, 2022
Nevertheless, all good things must eventually come to an end. For Maroon, however, his NHL journey isn’t finished just yet as he remains under contract with Tampa Bay through 2023-24 at $1-million per season.
Considering the Lightning currently feature the third-best odds (+900) to win next season’s Stanley Cup, according to BetMGM, behind the Avalanche (+450) and Toronto Maple Leafs (+850), Maroon could potentially make a fifth-straight Cup Final appearance in 2023.
If not, though, his three championship rings should help ease the pain.
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