![Prince George's Jon Cooper [left] joins the team photo as the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate winning the 2020 Stanley Cup. (via NHL/Getty Images)](https://www.vmcdn.ca/f/files/princegeorgematters/images/prince-george-cougars/jon-cooper-tampa-bay-lightning-stanley-cup-9.jpg;w=960;h=640;bgcolor=000000)
For a second time in three years, a Prince George-born hockey product has won the Stanley Cup.
Jon Cooper claims the city's third cup in the NHL's modern era after the Tampa Bay Lightning shut out the Dallas Stars 2-0 in Game 6 to win the Finals series 4-2 Monday night (Sept. 28) in the Edmonton bubble.
😆😆 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/QEsOiMgDVS
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) September 29, 2020
"It’s just been way more difficult than I thought," said the 53-year-old in an earlier interview with the NHL.
"It’s so easy in your dreams, but in reality, it’s a little more difficult."
He defeated Dallas interim head coach Rick Bowness. Bowness had been hired by Cooper as a mentor in 2013 and served the next five years with the Lightning as his assistant.
Cooper won his 1st Stanley Cup in his 8th year as TBL head coach.
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) September 29, 2020
The 53-year-old is now 1 for 2 in the Stanley Cup Finals after losing in 6 games to Chicago in 2015.
He signed a 3-year contract extension in March 2019, continuing as the NHL’s longest-tenured coach | #CityOfPG
Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe as the playoffs' most valuable player, scoring 10 goals in 24 games.
In 2019, Tampa was swept out of the first round of the playoffs by Columbus.
This is the second league title for the Bolts in their franchise history, 16 years winning it in 2004 over Calgary in seven games.
Brett Connolly brought the Stanley Cup to Prince George after winning it with the Washington Capitals in 2018, while Turner Stevenson hoisted the mug with the New Jersey Devils in 2003.
- with a file from The Canadian Press
