“It’s so hard to win the Stanley Cup,” Stamkos said. Finishing with a handful in a frantic final minute, he made 22 saves to remain undefeated in games after a loss over the past two playoffs, both of them won by Tampa Bay in the pandemic. Vasilevskiy had a series-ending shutout for an NHL-record fifth consecutive time dating to the 2020 final. Winning has become normal for the Lightning, who did so this time relying on their playoff MVP goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and the only two Tampa Bay players on the ice without their names on hockey’s holy grail. “Full arena, incredible energy and another championship in Tampa,” Bettman said. As Stamkos took another lap with the Cup, players held up their phones to capture video of the fans, the confetti and the joy of being able to really, truly celebrate. If current plans jell, President Joe Biden will drop the ceremonial opening game puck as part of his Middle East tour.Ĭohen: "The president's attendance at the opening ceremony is another major step in the growth of the Maccabi Games.Pyrotechnics went off around him to celebrate not only Tampa Bay winning during a pandemic once again but the end of another grueling season played against the backdrops of protocols, restrictions and heartbreak. "I'd like to thank Maccabi CEO Eyal Tiberger for his support," adds Cohen. "For me, it's amazing to see hockey moved from a rink on the outpost on the Northern Israeli border to a major Jerusalem arena and have the games on live Israeli tv."Ĭohen, 75, singled out Maple Leafs owner Larry Tanenbaum among many current NHL leaders whose contributions have made the Israeli hockey games possible.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING PORTABLE
"And with (NHL Commissioner) Gary Bettman's help, in 2018, the league arranged for its portable rink to be installed in a Jerusalem basketball arena so that many more people could attend the games." "and in 2014, the NHL helped out when club owners invested in improving the Olympic-sized rink in Metula on the Lebanese border. "I got involved with the hockey part of Maccabi in 2010," Joe recalls, "The Maccabi Games are special to me," says Cohen, "because they allow me to combine two of my passions, hockey and the State of Israel."Ĭurrently a member of the Maccabi World Union's board of directors and board treasurer, Joe will be accompanied by his wife, Rita, daughter, Mary, and Judy Gilbert, wife of the late Hockey Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert. Joe is so revered that none other than iconic Wayne Gretzky once said, "If there's one person in the world who doesn't have an enemy it's Joe." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman calls Joe, "A great man!"įormer owner of the Los Angeles Kings, dapper Joe was a confidant of NHL leaders such as Rangers president Bill Jennings, as well as Flyers owner Ed Snider and the league's one-time chairman of the board Bill Wirtz. Cohen's hockey involvement runs deeply in the sport although this enormously popular guy operates unobtrusively and without any fuss or fanfare. "Our gals will be practicing hard for this event."īehind the Maccabi hockey scene will be Joe Cohen, who, for years, has been one of the most important and influential hockey figures. "This is a major advance," says Mitch Miller of Ottawa, manager of Canada's men's hockey entry. My granddaughter, Odel, 17, will be playing defense for Israel against Canada and U.S. For the first time the organizers have added a women's hockey tourney to its agenda. What's more, the upcoming games will feature a historic breakthrough. Each is an alumnus of past Maccabi ice tilts. For one reason, past games have been as intense as a Stanley Cup Final.Įdmonton's Zach Hyman and the Rangers' Adam Fox can attest to that. When the Jewish Olympics - alias The Maccabi Games - open in Jerusalem on July 13th, hockey will be at the forefront for several reasons. JOE COHEN - THE MACCABI GAMES' ICONIC SUPPORTER My guess is that Torts will demand that his Flyers try harder than they did under Mike Yeo and that Luke's Blackhawks at least get into the playoffs. Okay, kidding aside - or maybe not - I'm going to find my trusty "Culture Meter" and have it tell me all about the new "culture" changes on Broad Street and West Madison, respectively.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING MOVIE
Hey, we could make a movie out of this, "When NHL Cultures Clash." Copycat Luke Richardson arrived in The Windy City and declared "There's gonna be a new culture here in Chicago."