THUNDER BAY -- For the first time in 15 years, Thunder Bay's Eric Staal will play for the Stanley Cup.
The 36-year-old forward and the Montreal Canadiens earned a berth in the championship final on Thursday night, knocking off the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime to take their best-of-seven National Hockey League semifinal series 4-2.
Artturi Lehkonen scored the series winner, beating Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner 1:39 into the extra frame.
It's Montreal's first trip to the final since 1993, when they downed the Los Angeles Kings in five games to capture the Stanley Cup, the most recent Canadian team to win the title.
Staal has two goals and six assists for Montreal in 16 playoff appearances. He was dealt to the Habs mid-season by a struggling Buffalo Sabres team, after being traded there last off-season by the Minnesota Wild.
Staal won a Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes in just his second season in the NHL.
Its the fifth time in the last seven seasons a Thunder Bay player has advanced to the final. Patrick Sharp (2015), Matt Murray (2016 and 2017) and Robert Bortuzzo (2019) all earned Stanley Cup rings.
Taylor Chorney, who was born in Thunder Bay, but grew up in Minnesota, was awarded a ring by his Washington Capitals teammates in 2018, and last season former NHLer Tony Hrkac won a Cup as a scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Lightning and New York Islanders will decide Montreal's opponent on Friday night, playing Game 7 of their series.
Recent Northwestern Ontario Stanley Cup winners:
- 2020: Tony Hrkac (scout), Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: Robert Bortuzzo (D), St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Taylor Chorney (D), Washington Capitals*
- 2017: Matt Murray (G), Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Matt Murray (G), Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2015: Patrick Sharp (F), Duncan Keith (D), Norm Maciver (front office), Chicago Blackhawks
- 2014: Mike Richards (F), Los Angeles Kings
- 2013: Patrick Sharp (F), Duncan Keith (D), Carter Hutton (G)**, Norm Maciver (front office), Jamie Kompon (assistant coach) Chicago Blackhawks
- 2012: Mike Richards (F), Jamie Kompon (assistant coach) Los Angeles Kings
- 2010: Patrick Sharp (F), Duncan Keith (D), Norm Maciver (front office), Chicago Blackhawks
- 2009: Jordan Staal (F), Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2007: Chris Pronger (D) Anaheim Ducks
- 2006: Eric Staal (F), Carolina Hurricanes
*Chorney was released by the Capitals in February 2018, but his former teammates presented him with a ring following their win.
**Hutton was given a ring by the Blackhawks in 2013, but did not qualify to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
