2004 Stanley Cup Final – Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Calgary Flames In a tightly contested seven-game war, the Lightning claimed their first championship by outlasting the Flames in a series defined by defensive structure and clutch goaltending. Nikolai Khabibulin (“The Bulin Wall”) stymied Calgary’s attack, while Brad Richards won Conn Smythe honors with 26 points in the playoffs, including a four-point Game 7. Jarome Iginla carried Calgary with heart and hustle, but Tampa’s depth—featuring Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, and Ruslan Fedotenko—proved decisive. The series featured five one-goal games and intense physicality, with both teams refusing to yield. Played just before the 2004–05 lockout canceled the entire season, it served as a poignant farewell to an era. For Tampa, it was validation; for Calgary, noble defeat. Its balance, tension, and historical timing make it a modern classic.
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