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The Avalanche took the lead in the second period to win their first title since 2001 and end the Lightning’s bid for a third consecutive title.

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They did it convincingly, never facing elimination. 

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Ten teams over the last three years have attempted to eliminate the Tampa Bay Lightning in the postseason as they pursued a dynasty. 

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They tried in the 2020 bubble, they tried in Canada, in North Carolina, across the state of Florida and on the islands of New York, but they all failed. 

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Since 2019, no one had found a way to unseat a team that made its way to the pinnacle, until Sunday 

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When the Colorado Avalanche discovered the right combination of skill, speed and determination needed to knock out the champ. 

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For the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the N.H.L. has a new champion. 

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The high-flying Avalanche defeated the Lightning, 2-1, in Game 6 of the finals, to capture the Stanley Cup, one of sports’ most elusive and enduring trophies. 

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One by one in the postgame celebration, the Avalanche players held the gleaming Cup aloft 

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Kissing it as they paraded it around the Amalie Arena ice, just as the Lightning had done on the same rink, their home rink, the year before.