The NHL held its annual awards show Wednesday night where they celebrated the year that was and handed out important hardware during a ceremony in Las Vegas.
“Saturday Night Live’s” Kenan Thompson hosted the event and the comedian came out flying early on, taking a great shot at the Tampa Bay Lightning, who you might remember had the best record in the league and tied for the most wins in a season in NHL history … and then got swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Nikita Kucherov, who later won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, were in attendance and didn’t seem to love the joke:
The reactions from the players killed me pic.twitter.com/XQCUeUqA9g
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 20, 2019
That was a good one, though, and fans loved it:
HERE is the #TBLightning joke from #NHLAwards host Keenan Thompson.
Guess what? It’s funny.
No need to be sensitive #GoBolts fans! #NHLpic.twitter.com/CbjiwT4XLG
— CHRIS TORELLO (@TorelloSports) June 20, 2019
Lmao Tampa Bay Lightning are not here for jokes about being swept in the playoffs #NHLAwardspic.twitter.com/C4SufbWHTl
— Jayme Alfano (@jaymelynn1628) June 20, 2019
Lol yeah they looked pissssed
— Drake Cassidy (@Drake_Cassidy12) June 20, 2019
This joke actually made me laugh out loud #NHLAwardshttps://t.co/bEgwOMEi4i
— Matt Foreman (@foremania) June 20, 2019
The Tampa Bay lightning joke was aces. #NHLAwards
— Kelly (@AMKelly81) June 20, 2019
yikes @ that joke about the lightning getting swept lmao
— Madison (◠‿◠✿) (@madisonf57_) June 20, 2019
Follow For The Win’s Andy Nesbitt on Twitter @anezbitt.