DETROIT (AP) -How Swede it is.
Nicklas Lidstrom made hockey history Wednesday night, becoming the first European captain to hoist the Stanley Cup.
Lidstrom, one of seven Red Wings regulars from Sweden, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 6.
“Nick Lidstrom, come get the Stanley Cup,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It’s yours to take back to Hockeytown.”
The victory gave Lidstrom his fourth Stanley Cup in five chances. He also won titles in 1997, ’98 and 2002 and lost his first shot at winning the Cup in 1995.
In each of those seasons and many more, Steve Yzerman was the Red Wings’ captain.
Lidstrom is expected to add to his exquisite resume this summer with a sixth Norris Trophy, a total that would break a tie with Ray Bourque and trail only Bobby Orr’s eight and Doug Harvey’s seven awards as the NHL’s best defenseman.
The 6-foot-1, 189-pound Lidstrom beats teams with his intelligence and instincts, a wicked combination that puts him in the right place to make a play or prevent one.
Lidstrom broke Yzerman’s team records this year by playing in his 16th straight postseason and his 197th playoff game. He later played in his 201st playoff game, surpassing Jari Kurri’s NHL mark among European players.
The 38-year-old Lidstrom had 13 points and his plus-minus rating was among the league leaders in the playoffs. He led all defensemen during the regular season with 70 points and a plus-40 rating.
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