The Montreal Canadiens came up agonizingly short Wednesday in their against-all-odds campaign to end CanadaB次元官网网址檚 28-year Stanley Cup drought.

Instead, it was the Tampa Bay Lightning successfully defending their Cup title, edging the Habs 1-0 at home in a physical, hard-fought nailbiter to claim the series four games to one.

The gameB次元官网网址檚 only goal came after 33 scoreless minutes, when Ross ColtonB次元官网网址� playing in his first Stanley Cup final B次元官网网址� tipped home David SavardB次元官网网址檚 pass as it drifted through the crease behind a surprised Carey Price.

Price left the net in the gameB次元官网网址檚 final minute to give the Canadiens an extra attacker, but it was to no avail.

The loss extends the championship deficit for the Canadiens, whose last Cup victory B次元官网网址� the last time a Canadian team claimed the gameB次元官网网址檚 holy grail B次元官网网址� came at the end of the LightningB次元官网网址檚 debut season in 1993.

B次元官网网址淚 played on a lot of really good teams with a lot of really good guys B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 hard right now, sorry,B次元官网网址� an emotional Brendan Gallagher said afterward, struggling to contain his disappointment.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got so many players that worked their entire career to get to this point. And itB次元官网网址檚 a tough pill to swallow.B次元官网网址�

Bolts netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 22 shots en route to the victory, his fifth straight series-clinching shutout win, and collected the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for his trouble. Price turned away 29 shots.

Both the Habs and the Lightning went 0-for-3 on the power play.

B次元官网网址淭his group has a lot of character and were up against a lot of adversity this year and we proved a lot of people wrong B次元官网网址� and in a tough year, to boot, where things werenB次元官网网址檛 normal,B次元官网网址� Shea Weber said after the game.

B次元官网网址淭he guys stuck together and battled hard and obviously, you know, I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 change it for anything and IB次元官网网址檓 super proud of these guys.B次元官网网址�

For some of MontrealB次元官网网址檚 younger superstars, the unlikely campaign was a rare chance to experience professional hockey at its pinnacle, a teachable moment they can only hope will present itself again.

B次元官网网址淭his is what you play for, to have that opportunity B次元官网网址� once, twice, maybe even if that B次元官网网址� in your career,B次元官网网址� young star forward Cole Caufield said after the teamB次元官网网址檚 pre-game skate.

B次元官网网址淥bviously, you can get pretty stressed out in times like these, but this is you playing hockey, the best game in the world, and you canB次元官网网址檛 take it for granted. But youB次元官网网址檝e got to enjoy every moment you can.B次元官网网址�

Cue the champagne!!!!!!!!!! 馃嵕

B次元官网网址� Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning)

Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme was similarly contemplative.

B次元官网网址淵ou have to embrace those moments and embrace those challenges,B次元官网网址� Ducharme said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 part of hockey, itB次元官网网址檚 part of life. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the way we handle it.B次元官网网址�

James McCarten, The Canadian Press

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