from Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune,

Friday night, Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman was helped from the ice early in the game with the Islanders. He leaned on Steven Stamkos, a poignant image, given the news that followed. The Lightning went on to win, but they’d already lost.

Broken left leg.

Broken Lightning playoff season?

This feels like more than a non-displaced left fibula. Stralman helps form the Lightning backbone. He’s the calming force. He’s bedrock. And now the playoffs are nearly here and the earth is shaking. Stralman is out indefinitely. The timing is beyond dreadful.

This rocks the Lightning’s playoff world. I’m not convinced they’ll rock back.

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