amestrib.com| FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021| 5B Lightning ace final exam Stephen Whyno drop in the standings. ASSOCIATED PRESS Still, there is reason to believe Tampa Bay will be perennial playoff contenders TAMPA, Fla. – With the clock ticking for years to come and with plenty of tal- on their time together, the defending ent to add a fourth championship. champion Tampa Bay Lightning talked Kucherov – who joined Mario Le- about what they already knew was their mieux as the only players to lead two last Stanley Cup run as a group. consecutive postseasons in scoring – is They talked about it midway through signed through 2026. the playoffs. They talked about it on the Norris Trophy finalist defenseman verge of reaching the final. Changes and 2020 playoff MVP Victor Hedman is were coming, so captain Steven Stam- signed through 2025 and Stamkos kos and his teammates told each other, through 2024. “Let’s take advantage of this opportuni- The most important piece of the fu- ty.” ture is goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay did just that in winning who is under contract through 2028. He the championship back to back, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff players and coaches celebrated in a MVP after never losing back-to-back fashion befitting the end of an era. games and posting a shutout to close Coach Jon Cooper said it felt like “the out each round. last day of school” and the Lightning “When he locks in, he is remarkable aced their final exam before inevitable The Lightning celebrate after defeating the Canadiens 1-0 in Game 5 to win the to watch,” Cooper said. “I can’t believe changes break them apart. Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. KIM KLEMENT/USA TODAY SPORTS how he shuts the door in the biggest “This team, knowing that we’re prob- games of his career.” ably not going to be together, this was Tampa Bay may need Vasilevskiy to the end of a special group for two years,” trade deadline, and the rugged defense- pandemic revenue losses across the bring his peak playoff form to the reg- Cooper said. “Who knows what’s going man who had never won it all before set league, and there’s little cushion for a ular season. That’s the kind of evolution to happen here, but I think that was a up rookie Ross Colton’s winning goal in contender even this deep to pony up to Jonathan Quick went through with the huge motivator for our group.” the Cup clincher Wednesday night. bring the band back together. Los Angeles Kings after winning the It took a strange sequence of events It had all bounced the right way for Minutes after parading the Stanley Cup twice in three seasons, and Vasilev- to keep the Lightning together this sea- the Lightning. Cup around the ice at Amalie Arena, skiy looks up to the challenge of putting son. Longtime forward Tyler Johnson “I don’t see the circumstances of Stamkos said he and his teammates Tampa Bay on his shoulders. was put on waivers last fall when it what happened last year happening knew that might be the last game the “He doesn’t want people next to him looked like they needed to clear salary again,” Cooper said during the final. “I group ever plays together. The Lightning to say he’s the best because he wants to cap space, and general manager Julien know the players don’t see that.” certainly made the most of it as just the prove it,” Kucherov said. “But I know BriseBois paid the price of a second- Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, second team to repeat since the cap era he’s the best.” round pick to dump salary in late De- the 2020 trade deadline pickups who began in 2005. The Lightning the past two years cember. were so important in these two titles, “No matter what happens from here might have been the best the NHL can Then star forward Nikita Kucherov are almost certainly gone as unrestrict- on out, this group is going to be etched in offer in a cap world, even with an expira- discovered he needed hip surgery, the ed free agents. The Lightning could lose history forever,” Stamkos said. “We’re tion date on a run of success that in- rehab of which would cause him to miss Johnson, veteran forward Alex Killorn, back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. cludes three trips to the final and five to the entire 56-game regular season that savvy defenseman Ryan McDonagh or That doesn’t happen very often.” the semifinals in the past seven years. was squeezed into four months. It was a another important player in the Seattle It’s now up to BriseBois to address Cigar in hand, Cooper didn’t want to major loss but also one that allowed expansion draft. Playoff leading goal- Tampa Bay’s impending breakup. After talk about next season yet. Tampa Bay to stash his $9.5 million cap scorer Brayden Point needs a new con- trading first-, second- and fourth-round “Let’s be honest: We’ve been knock- hit on long-term injured reserve and put tract extension with his deal up next picks in the draft this year and second- ing at the door for so many years,” he a playoff-worthy team on the ice. summer. and third-rounders next year as part of said. “To be able to do it back-to-back, it Salary cap gymnastics also allowed Add to that the reality of the cap re- loading up to win now, the next steps kind of cements this group as, well, Tampa Bay to add David Savard at the maining flat at $81.5 million because of will be painful and may come with a they’re special.” IN BRIEF Rafael Nadal to make return to sit out Wimbledon, which ends Sunday, pacity. Last year’s Citi Open was can- “I really think I need those four days competition with debut in DC and the Tokyo Olympics, which open celed because of the pandemic. to get everything on my leg right and be July 23, saying his body needed time to really healthy for the second half be- WASHINGTON – Rafael Nadal will rest and recover after the clay-court Astros stars Correa, Altuve will cause I feel like the team needs me return to competition by making his de- season. not play in All-Star game 100%,” Altuve said. but at the hard-court tournament in Others on the list of players entered Altuve, who was named to the team Washington. The Citi Open announced in the Citi Open include Wimbledon HOUSTON – Houston Astros stars for the seventh time, has not missed any Thursday that the 20-time Grand Slam semifinalists Denis Shapovalov and Hu- Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will not time with the problem this season and champion is in the field for the July 31 to bert Hurkacz, who beat Roger Federer play in next week’s All-Star Game.Both would not provide any details on what Aug. 8 event that serves as a U.S. Open on Wednesday. players were named reserves for the exactly is wrong with his leg. Correa, a tuneup. Wimbledon quarterfinalists Felix Au- game Tuesday night in Denver. Altuve, a shortstop who received his second All- Nadal has not played since his loss to ger-Aliassime and Karen Khachanov second baseman, on Thursday cited Star nod this season, chose to skip the Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the also are entered. The tournament says needing the time off to deal with un- game to spend time with his wife Dan- French Open last month. Rock Creek Park Tennis Center will be specified “issues” with his left leg as his iella, who is pregnant with the couple’s The 35-year-old Spaniard decided to allowed to have spectators at 50% of ca- reason for pulling out of the game. first child. Legal Notice Legal Notice Legal Notice Legal Notice Legal Notice Legal Notice #1411665 [email protected] Estate of Betty J. Jackson, De- #5. The Administration Building is fice, 900 Sixth Street, Nevada, IA, You are hereby notified that on Notice of Self Storage Sale Attorney for Administrator ceased, who died on or about June now open to the public but any- 50201. July 1, 2021, the last will and testa- 13, 2021. one can still attend via Zoom. To ment of Joseph C. Reutter, de- Please take notice Red Dot Stor- Published in the Ames Tribune on You are hereby notified that on join the meeting by computer of Published in the Ames Tribune on ceased, bearing the date of March age 186 - Ames located at 6115 W. July 2 & 9, 2021 (1T) June 29, 2021, the Last Will and telephone follow the steps below: July 9, 2021 (1T) 2, 2018 was admitted to probate in Lincoln Way, Ames, IA 50014 in- Testament of Betty J. Jackson, de- the above-named court. Any ac- tends to hold an auction to en- #1415161 ceased, bearing the date of Au- Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, #1415982 tion to set aside the will must be force its privilege against the fol- THE IOWA DISTRICT COURT FOR gust 18, 1999, and First Codicil dat- iPhone or Android device: IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE brought in the District Court of lowing parties for the goods stor- STORY COUNTY ed July 9, 2018, were admitted to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/845 STATE OF IOWA said county within the later to oc- ed in the following units in default IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF probate in the above-named court 56505625?pwd=Q1NaU0ZYWVFNNj IN AND FOR STORY COUNTY cur of four months from the date for non-payment of rent.