The COUNTDOWN: BEST TEAMS NOT TO WIN

These teams looked destined to win the Stanley Cup. Everything was going great until…until…well, just about anything can happen in the playoffs

BY BRIAN COSTELLO

WE’RE NOW A YEAR removed from the stunning collapse of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2019 playoffs, and it’s still incredibly difficult to comprehend what happened. The Lightning won a record-tying 62 games, and their 128 points were 21 better than the next closest teams, Boston and Calgary. Tampa’s first-round opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets, finished 30 points back. And in head-to-head matches during the season, the Lightning won all three games, outscoring the Jackets 17-3. Few people bet on the Blue Jackets to upset Tampa Bay in the opening round. And no one – according to all sports betting outlets who reported such numbers – wagered Columbus would sweep the Lightning in four straight games. After all, why would anyone throw their money away? The Lightning had it all in…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, July 1, 2020

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