Stanley Cup

Plano Native Blake Coleman Lifts Stanley Cup for Lightning

Coleman scored Tampa Bay's second goal in the team's 2-0 Game 6 win

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Tampa Bay Lightning forward Blake Coleman dreamed about hoisting the Stanley Cup as a kid growing up in Plano.

"It's a dream come true," Coleman said. "It's everything you work for as a hockey player and a little heavier than I thought but it's unbelievable."

Coleman is excited and so are his parents who watched the decisive Game 6 with their 7-month old granddaughter Charlie and other loved ones inside Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.

"She (Charlie) hung in there," Sandy Coleman said. "She slept a little bit in the 3rd period but she did see her dad's goal."

Coleman's goal gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead and his father another reason to feel a sense of pride in his son.

"Pretty special last night," Coleman's father Rusty said. "Especially given the circumstances. A two-goal game is a little better than a one-goal lead."

With the 2-0 Tampa Bay victory comes an end to the trash-talking in the Coleman's North Texas neighborhood.

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"We've had fun with some of the banter, pulling for Blake but hope the Stars win that type of thing," Rusty said.

His wife added, "Or we got, 'An awesome win but boo, you beat our Stars.'"

The year 2020 offered a new twist on an old phrase -- if you can't join them, beat them.

"It's an unbelievable ride," Coleman said. "Man getting emotional. There's so many people that got me to where I am and I've come a long way and it was a long road but it's so worth it."

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