The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated their Stanley Cup title with a boat parade and ceremonies Wednesday at Raymond James Stadium.

After repeatedly deflecting questions about his future all post-season, the interim head coach of the Dallas Stars gave some indication of his thoughts after his team's season-ending 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay.

Kevin Shattenkirk scored on the power play 6:34 into overtime to lift Tampa Bay to a 5-4 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday and put the Lightning one win away from the Stanley Cup.

The end is near for the bubbled NHL playoffs, and those in charge of the rinks say it's been smooth as an ice sheet.

Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos returned -- very briefly -- from a seven-month injury layoff, and scored on his first shot on net as the Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 Wednesday in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have turned their Stanley Cup final with the Dallas Stars into a best of five because, to quote Tampa head coach Jon Cooper and paraphrase "The Untouchables,'' you can't bring a knife to a gunfight.

It's not only two American Sunbelt teams facing off Saturday in the NHL's Stanley Cup final, it's also a matchup of two head coaches who once worked together, but with the student now trying to outshine the mentor.

"They've got this quiet calm about them, and they'll be all ready.''

The Canucks were the last Canadian team remaining in the playoffs, which have been adjusted following an abbreviated season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It's the Canucks' first playoff series since 2015 and their first playoff series win since 2011.