We finally know how the Lightning broke the Stanley Cup!

The Tampa Bay Lightning shocked fans on Monday when pictures got out that the players had broken the Stanley Cup. 

The Cup was photographed looking all bent out and it went viral on social media. The photo depicted half the bowl at its summit had been flattened. It was then reported by team insider Joe Smith that the Cup will “be sent to Montreal for repairs and be back to resume Cup celebrations with the Tampa Bay Lightning next weekend.”

Smith also revealed in his latest article from The Athletic how the players ended up breaking the trophy. This is how he puts it from what he witness from the celebrations during the boat parade on Monday afternoon. 

It sounds like it was a slip and fall incident, however, no one is blaming alcohol or inebriation. They are blaming the weather. 

“Thunderstorm during the celebration and everything was wet, slippery when walking in and it happened,” keeper of the Cup Philip Pritchard told The Athletic. “All good, going for a tuneup.” 

The party that was set to take place in a park was indeed canceled due to weather (and is unlikely to be rescheduled). And so, Pritchard’s story makes sense. 

However, Smith also tells crazy events from the party and you have to wonder if any of those might have been the cause of the poor Cup’s dent: 

"A shirtless Yanni Gourde surfing on a dolly across the stage after chugging two beers at the same time.

Pat Maroon, a three-time Cup champ and man of the people, blowing past security to get as close as possible to fans, pouring a Bud Light into one’s mouth and then finishing a liquor drink of another.

Nikita Kucherov pouring beer out of the Cup into the mouth of owner Jeff Vinik, with the two giving each other a bear hug and bouncing to the music."

So, thunderstorm ruined the Cup for the Lightning, right? Gotta love it.