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Tampa’s Cup

I would like to start this week’s column by first thanking everyone who texted, emailed and called me to remind me that the Tampa Bay Lightning won a Stanley Cup in 2004. To be honest, I had completely forgotten at the moment I was writing my piece. I am glad to see how many of you read my work!

I have to admit, I do feel really silly for having forgotten the Lightning’s cup run. I actually experienced Game 7 of that series from an ESPN Club in Orlando, making a very special memory for myself.

My first marriage had broken up a few months earlier, and I was working my way through the grieving process the only way that did not hurt: through enjoying adult beverages. My parents thought it would be a great idea for them to bring my children and I to Disney World in Orlando, since my kids were still young at the time and would enjoy the experience.

Despite the incredible heat of June, they were right, my kids had a blast. It was also healthy for me to get away from home for a little while as well.

I discovered early in a previous trip that there was an ESPN Club on the Boardwalk at downtown Disney. I had never been to one before, but figured since it had ESPN in the name, it would be a fun place to go and enjoy an adult beverage while watching whatever sports were on the monitors, but more on that later.

In June of 2004, the sixth-seeded Calgary Flames had defeated the third-seeded Vancouver Canucks and the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings before defeating my beloved, second-seeded San Jose Sharks to earn the right to play for the Cup for the first time since they won the trophy in 1986.

That was the Sharks’ first trip to the Western Conference Finals. They had beaten the Flames in the only previous playoff meeting between the two teams, so I was confident they could do so again. The Flames stole the opener in overtime. They cruised to a 4-1 win in the second game, both in San Jose. The Sharks battled hard to earn a shutout win in game three in Calgary before evening the series three days later.

Just when it appeared they had all the momentum, the Flames stormed back with a shutout win in fifth game before cruising to a series-clinching win two nights later.

The Lightning had first topped the eighth-seeded New York Islanders and then the seventh-seeded Montreal Canadiens before defeating the third-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in seven games.

The Flames and Lightning seemed like a highly unlikely pairing for the Stanley Cup Finals, but that is why they play the games. Nikolai Khabibulin was proving to be more than just a flashy name in goal for the Lightning, and Tampa Bay also had a forward trio of Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis who all proved tough to stop. The Flames were led by captain Jarome Iginla and Craig Conroy, a guy having the playoffs of his career that season.

The teams split games in Tampa and then split again in Calgary to come into the fifth game tied. The Flames took that game in overtime, putting the Lightning on the brink. Tampa responded two days later in double overtime to even things again.

I remember watching Game 6 from our cabin in Orlando. The night of Game 7, I asked my parents to babysit my children so that I could enjoy the game from the ESPN Club. They were happy to assist.

I arrived just as the warmups were finishing. The ESPN Club had actually split into Tampa fans on one side and Calgary fans on the other. Being a fan of neither, I just listened to and enjoyed the back-and-forth cheers and jeers throughout the night. Some of the time I sat with Tampa fans and some of the time I spent with Calgary fans. Both groups were enjoyable.

As Ruslan Fedotenko scored in each of the first two periods, the Tampa side of the bar went bananas. The Flames got a power play in the third, which naturally angered the Tampa side. Conroy scored, causing the Calgary side to erupt. From that point on, the Flames attacked and attacked, but ultimately the “Bulin Wall” stood tall, keeping the Lightning in the lead until the final seconds ticked off, setting off a grand cheer from the Tampa fans.

It was one of the most exciting moments in my sports fan experience, and I didn’t even have a dog in the fight. It was amazing to see the state of Florida rally around the Lightning. I can only hope if the Sharks finally make it to a Stanley Cup Final, it is as exciting all these years later.

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