Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning are accustomed to short offseasons.
This one, the Lightning captain said, “wasn’t as fun as the previous two.”
The Stanley Cup relocated to Colorado after the Avalanche dethroned the two-time defending champion Lightning in a six-game final in July.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay isn’t content with being one of the NHL’s best teams.
Three months after falling short in a bid to become the first NHL club in 40 years to win three straight Stanley Cup titles, the Lightning entered training camp eager to begin the quest to reclaim the crown they relinquished to the Colorado Avalanche.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final, two championships and a strong — though ultimately unsuccessful — bid for a third.
Any way you list the accomplishments, it’s been quite a run for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who feel they are nowhere close to being done after falling short of becoming the first team in nearly 40 years to win three consecutive NHL titles.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t relinquish their grip on the Stanley Cup without a fight.
Andrei Vasilevskiy rejected shot after shot, keeping the two-time defending champions’ quest for a threepeat alive.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — So much for the notion that the Tampa Bay Lightning might be running out of gas against the speedy Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final.
Turns out the team’s recipe for postseason success still works when the two-time defending champions incorporate all the ingredients.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning's bid for a three-peat is alive and well.
With Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy leading the way, the star-laden, two-time defending champions beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 Monday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
DENVER (AP) — Marinate on this for a quick moment: Colorado has 11 goals in the Stanley Cup Final so far, and not one from star forward Nathan MacKinnon.
The always-pushing-the-pace Avalanche are clicking on all cylinders, even with MacKinnon's scoring held in check and Nazem Kadri sidelined by a thumb injury.
DENVER (AP) — This loss wasn't as easy for the Tampa Bay Lightning to shrug off.
What emerged from the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champs Saturday night wasn't their clutch pedigree or vaunted ability to bounce back after a loss but frayed nerves and maybe a realization that the Colorado Avalanche are coming swiftly for their crown.
DENVER (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning's lean years helped them land Steven Stamkos with the first pick in the 2008 NHL draft and Victor Hedman second in 2009. Same for the Colorado Avalanche with Gabriel Landeskog going second in 2011, Nathan MacKinnon first in 2013 and Cale Makar fourth in 2017.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos, at 32 and wrapping up his 14th season, is no longer one of the NHL’s most prolific scorers or even the second- or third-best player on his own team.
The six-time All-Star and two-time “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner as the league’s leading goal scorer is the undisputed leader of the Tampa Bay Lightning, though, and one of the reasons the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are four wins away from the first three-peat in 40 years.
Steven Stamkos watched the Colorado Avalanche the past few years and figured he and the Tampa Bay Lightning would see them in the Stanley Cup Final before this.
The Lightning are back, looking for the NHL’s first three-peat in almost 40 years, and the Colorado core led by Nathan MacKinnon is finally playing for the Cup following a series of crushing playoff disappointments.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning's bid for a three-peat is alive and well.
With captain Steven Stamkos leading the way, the two-time defending champions beat the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final Saturday night, securing a berth in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.
NEW YORK (AP) — After falling behind midway through the game, the Tampa Bay Lightning showed the poise of a two-time defending champion. They rallied for another late victory to move a win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning delivered on a promise to play with a greater sense of urgency, storming back in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers and keeping their bid for a third straight Stanley Cup title alive.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Just when it appeared the New York Rangers might be ready to push Tampa Bay to the brink of elimination, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning showed they were nowhere near finished.
Andrei Vasilevskiy has won a Vezina Trophy and two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Igor Shesterkin is a finalist for the Vezina this year as he leads the New York Rangers in their pursuit of their first championship since 1994 and second in 82 years.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored two goals and Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 5-1 to move to the brink of another trip to the Eastern Conference final on Sunday.
TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored the tiebreaking goal with 6:06 left in the third period and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Tuesday night and take a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Talk about resilience.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning haven't lost consecutive playoff games in nearly three years, rattling off 17 consecutive victories following a postseason loss since the start of their 2020 title run.
Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning understand the difficult challenge that lies ahead for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
The team’s quest for a third straight NHL title begins on the road Monday night against the Auston Matthews-led Toronto Maple Leafs, who had a terrific regular season but have yet to prove they have what it takes to be successful in the playoffs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored three goals for his first hat trick of the season, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to beat the New York Islanders 6-4 Friday night in the season finale.
Corey Perry, Ryan McDonagh and Brandon Hagel also scored for Tampa Bay, which trailed by two before scoring five times in the third period.
TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 59th and 60th goals of the season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 on Tuesday night to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos reached the 100-point mark for the first time in his NHL career by scoring two goals and assisting on two more, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Tuesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden joked that Steven Stamkos was getting old after playing in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons, praised the Tampa Bay Lightning's vaccine efforts and otherwise avoided politics while honoring the team for winning the Stanley Cup in each of the past two seasons.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Jon Cooper walked into his postgame interview clutching a pair of hand warmers, something the Tampa Bay Lightning coach never recalled using during any game other than one played outdoors.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored his 34th goal of the season and became Tampa Bay’s all-time scoring leader as the Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 8-1 on Thursday night.
Stamkos, the first overall pick in the 2008 draft, fired a one-timer from the left circle off a feed from Nikita Kucherov for the record-breaking 954th point of his career.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jakub Vrana had two goals, including the tiebreaking score in the third period, to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.
The Red Wings beat Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for the first time in 14 career games.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored twice and added two assists, Victor Hedman had four assists and the Tampa Bay Lightning tied a season high in goals in a 7-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.