When the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche face off in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night, expect the teams’ biggest fans to be cheering them on.
The Lightning — who are looking to defend their back-to-back Stanley Cup titles after defea🎃ting the New York Rangers in ꦬthe Eastern Conference Final — will have to roll through Colorado, where the Avalanche will host the first two games of the series following the💎🌼ir sweep of the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final.
Before the puck drops, get to 𒐪know some of the signifi꧃cant others of Lightning and Avalanche players.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Sandra Porzio, wife of center and captain Steven Stamkos
Steven Stamkos has been married to longtime girlfriend Sandra Porzio since 2017, when the couple tied the knot in Toronto, . Stamkos, 32, and Porzio are now proud parents to two young sons, Carter and Chas🅷e, ꧟.
The whole Stamkos family jetted to Nashville in February for the Stadium Series against the Predators, when Porzio was photographed on the ice sporting Stamkos’ No. 91 on a personalized cap.
Kaylee McDonagh, wife of defenseman Ryan McDonagh
High-school sweethearts, Ryan McDonagh married Kaylee in July 2013, around the same time the NHL defenseman inked a six-year deal with the Rangers, who first acquired him in 2009. The couple , daughter Falan, i🐼n 2016 and relocated to Tampa two years later, when McDonagh, 33, was traded to the Lightning.
Following McDonagh’s first championship win with the Lightning in 2020, the family . Kaylee and company also , when the Lightning faced the Nashville Predators as part of the Stadium Series.
Anastasiya Kucherov, wife of winger Nikita Kucherov
Though the Kucherovs keep much of their personal lives private, the Lightning winger, 28, has shared bits of his home life with Anastasiya on Instagram. The couple,, are also parents to a young son named Max, with the trio frequently appearing on Kucherov’s Instagram page.
In 2020, after the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final, Kucherov and his family . The trio posed for a similar shot a year later following Tampa’s second-straight Stanley Cup victory, this time, over the Montreal Canadiens.
Francesca Maroon, wife of winger Patrick Maroon
Patrick Maroon married lady love Francesca in 2020, which the 34-year-old winger proudly announced , writing, “The new Mr. Maroon and Mrs. Maroon.” Though Francesca keeps a low profile on social media, Maroon has shared photos of his family life, hanging out in the Lightning’s locker room.
Kseniya Vasilevskiy, wife of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy
The love story between Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and his wife, Kseniya, began in an unexpected place. “I met Kseniya on the airplane, we were next one another and started talking, then we kept on talking on social networks. And you know the rest,” the 27-year-old athlete in 2014, with the pair reportedly tying the knot a short while later.
The couple has made red carpet appearanc𒅌es over the years, including the 2019 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
Colorado Avalanche
Sydney Kuemper, wife of goaltender Darcy Kuemper
It’s been a whirlwind year for Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper. Not only did the 32-year-old get traded to Colorado from the Arizona Coyotes last July, but he and girlfriend Sydney tied the knot a month later. In an Instagram post from their special day, Kuemper gushed, “Best Day Ever 08.06.21.” The couple is also parents to an adorable fur baby, who has made a few cameos .
Melissa Shouldice, wife of winger and captain Gabriel Landeskog
, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and wife Melissa Shouldice are the proud parents of two adorable children. Although Shouldice keeps her social media private, Landeskog, 29, regularly shares sweet snaps of the couple, . For Shouldice’s 30th birthday in January, Landeskog that read, “30 looks good on you my love.”
Ashley Cave, wife of center Nazem Kadri
Nazem Kadri and wife🅰 Ashley Cave first crossed paths in early 2016 before tying the knot less than two years later, when the Avalanche center, 31, was still a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ashley, who promotes , the Nazem Kadri Foundation, on social media, for🌊 their cat, Jazzy.
Recently, Ashley revealed that she and her family were the targets of racist social media threats. In the wake of the harrowing incident, that thanked fans for their support a🌄ndജ for their kind words.
