from John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times,

The coming days will be filled with glory or disappointment. A third consecutive Stanley Cup or the heartbreak of falling just short.

So let today be about the present. Before the frenzy of the Stanley Cup final against Colorado, take a moment to appreciate a majestic run from a special group of players.

Because, honestly, we’ve never seen anything like this Lightning team in Tampa Bay. They have filled three calendars with memories of hits, blocks and shots. Of discipline, resolve and courage.

The 2-1 victory against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday night was the 11th consecutive opponent vanquished by the Lightning in a playoff series. You would have to go back nearly 40 years to find a longer stretch of success in the NHL.

And, though the journey is not complete, this might be their most impressive trek yet. It’s not just the way they retooled in the offseason, or the way they’ve persevered without Brayden Point, or how they came from behind against both Toronto and New York.

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