Canadiens shift focus to Stanley Cup

MONTREAL — Shea Weber and the Montreal Canadiens kept their hands off the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl after advancing to the Stanley Cup Final, and even rookie Cole Caufield had no interest in touching it.

“Obviously there’s a bigger one out there that we’re chasing, so I think that’s the only thing on our mind right now,” Caufield said, following a 3-2 OT semifinal series-clinching win over Vegas in Game 6. “It’s good to enjoy it. We’ve come a long way to get here, but the job is not finished.”

Montreal is in the final for the 35th time in the franchise’s illustrious history and will face the New York Islanders or Tampa Bay Lightning for a chance to win an NHL-leading 25th championship. Not only do the Canadiens not celebrate second-place finishes, but perhaps it’s best Weber avoided the semifinal trophy typically given out to the Western Conference champion because Campbell is not well-liked in Quebec.

Campbell was the league president who suspended Maurice “Rocket” Richard for the remainder of the season and playoffs for hitting a linesman during a game in March 1955, leading to riots in Montreal. The Canadiens had never captured the trophy named for Campbell in their history — they’ve won the Prince of Wales a record 25 times — but in this unusual season with teams playing in reformatted visions that was the case Thursday night.

Now the focus turns toward the Cup, and there’s no such hatred toward namesake Lord Stanley.

“We got another series coming up,” said Weber, who’s playing in his first Cup final at age 35. “We’ve got to win four more games but definitely proud of everybody in that locker room right now and what we’ve accomplished so far. But definitely still work to be done.”