Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

This Lightning Strike Should Be No Surprise
Saturday, May 1, 2004
TAMPA—It wasn’t so long ago that hockey to Florida kids meant a game played on roller skates between the curbs on a wide asphalt street with bent orange tree limbs for sticks and a crushed tin can for the puck, a crate at each end for the goal. If tender was lucky, he wore a catcher’s knee pads, mask and chest protector. A lot of kids got hurt a lot, strawberries on the knees and elbows, and cuts from the flattened can. Then, it wasn’t that long ago that those of us in this sports editing business had such reserves in the old hot/cold type days as standing heads (headlines). They were those head in leads you may use regularly and use quickly, without typesetting them. One such was: “Montreal Canadiens Win Stanley Cup, Again.’’ And why not? The Canadiens in their National Hockey long-winning life have won the Stanley Cup 24 times. Yes, Twenty-four times. But, that was then and now is now. Now this revered hockey team was soundly beaten, indeed, swept Thursday night, in Montreal, by the upstart Tampa Bay Lighting with a 3-1 victory and a fourth straight win in the quarter-finals of the NHL playoffs. It was the first time this Lightning team has won so many games in a season, a Tampa Bay team in this sports that has advanced so far in the Stanley Cup, and certainly by sweeping the proud Canadiens, has reached a benchmark stage in this upstart franchise from a city that is unknown to have a steady snowfall, or, a natural ice rink. One headline, in a paper that surely once had that standing ready in type the standby, Canadiens Win Again, screamed simply, SWEEP!’’ Another read in the biggest of type, “A Sweeping Success.’’ And it was, that, and perhaps more because this Lightning team is only the 12th in the franchise history and because Canadians are so much a part of its success. Brad Richards of Canada scored the winning goal for the third time in the playoffs, while Montreal area natives, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier have been scoring standouts as well. Indeed, well, Canada continues to be the homeland of more members of the Lightning club than any country. The little dynamo, St. Louis, virtually a cinch to be voted by the Most Valuable Player of the Year in the NHL, scored for six games in a row while Lecavalier has so far scored five goals and had two assists. However, if an MVP were to be picked today, it likely would be the Russian goalie, Nikolai Khabibulin, who has been beaten only five times in four playoff games. Of him, Tampa Bay Coach John Tortorella said: Nik has been our best player. . . and he is going to have to be our best player if we are going to move on in this thing,’’ the playoffs. However, bet here is if it were possible, a poll would declare this Lightning’s MVP to be: “The team.’’ That us	surely why Tampa Bay has been the surprise of the NHL season, has now become a good shot to win it all. This team is a winning blend of youth and age, of experience and of bravado that youth brings, of stars on both sides of the puck, of balance on offense, on defense, and on special teams. It is a surprise. It has been a team proven to be coachable by a man who surely emerges now as among the best, and one who was clearly assembled by talented wise administer of such explorations as Jay Feaster, and one directed by a president, Ron Campbell, of balanced judgment and careful decisions, not to mention his gift in public affairs. All involved in this franchise to this stage, including the father of it all, Phil Esposito, have had a part as this NHL pleasure of 2004, now advances to the most critical, and the best of times, the last two rounds of the Stanley Cup. Now, make no mistake, this balanced team that brushed aside the tough Islanders and swept the Canadiens, with this swift advance will have nearly a week to rest and prepare for its NHL East championship opponent, Toronto or Philadelphia. Both likely are more physical than Tampa, but the Lightning have had a way of doing what it has taken to get this far. They still have the home field advantage—the next round starts and could end in Tampa—be it Toronto or Philadelphia they face. And now only that, the Tampa club now is one of sold playoff experience, this balanced, selfless club of regulars Khabibulin, Richards, St. Louis, Lecavalier, Fredrick Modin, Pavel Kubina, Brad Lukowich, Eric Perrin, Chris Dingman, Ruslan Fedotenko, Cory Sarich, Dan Boyle, Tim Taylor, Dimitry Afanasenkov, Andre Roy, Nolan Pratt, Darryl Sydor and Cory Stillman. More fun times, more frenetic, more feverent times lie ahead for the players, coaches, administrators and fans, growing in numbers daily. Someone asked a football fan in Tampa if he was a hockey fan. The reply: “Not sure, yet. But, I am a Lightning fan.’’ That’s enough. Now the lines are long. the St. Pete Times Forum will be full, and the drama heavy these game nights ahead. Someone else wondered, if the Bucs in the Super Bowl and now the Lightning in the Stanley Cup was possible, and of course the reply was, “Why not. And, why not the Stanley Cup shown off along side the Lombardi Trophy at Tampa Bay show places?’’ Why not, indeed? After that sweep in hockey’s cradle, Montreal. And, finally, remember, this is no fluke. It is a fit team with few injuries this year, with sound coaching and a blend of stars and steadies, a club of confidence, now, and well, record: I mean this Lightning team has averaged more goals (2.88 a game) and yielded fewer goals (1.11 a game) than any in the playoffs. Not bad, eh? ##
Back to Top