Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) celebrates his overtime goal against the New York Islanders in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference final, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

By STEPHEN WHYNO

AP Hockey Writer

EDMONTON, Alberta — Five years after socially distancing from the Prince of Wales Trophy and losing in the Stanley Cup Final, the Tampa Bay Lightning got their hands on and arms around it to embrace their Eastern Conference championship.

Anthony Cirelli scored in overtime and Tampa Bay beat the New York Islanders 2-1 in Game 6 of the East final Thursday night and go back to the Cup Final for the first time since 2015. Injured captain Steven Stamkos, who wouldn’t even stand near the trophy then out of superstition, walked on to the ice to accept it along with the Lightning’s entire traveling party.

Tampa Bay ended each of its three series victories in overtime and goes on to face the Dallas Stars for the title. Only New York lasted more than five games, pushing the Lightning to their limits before their talented core got them into the final.

They’re four wins from the Cup despite being without Stamkos all postseason and missing top center Brayden Point for two games against the Islanders. They can thank defenseman Victor Hedman for scoring his ninth goal of the playoffs, Nikita Kucherov for playing 28:22 and Andrei Vasilveskiy making 26 saves while his teammates peppered Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov with 48 shots.

Tampa Bay is trying to win its first championship since 2004. It’s the first time in franchise history the Lightning didn’t play a seven-game series in the conference finals.

While the Islanders went 12 minutes without a shot on goal from late in the first period until midway through the second, the Lightning got an injury scare later in the period. Cirelli collided knee-on-knee with Anders Lee when the Islanders captain tried to exit the offensive zone and went airborne. Cirelli skated off gingerly and favored his right knee walking down the tunnel but returned for the third and was the OT hero.

The Lightning advanced despite failing to score on five power plays, including a double-minor on Andy Greene for high-sticking Kucherov with 23 seconds left in regulation that carried into overtime.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Western Conference-champion Dallas Stars is Saturday night.