from Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times,

This one stings. And it will ache for a long time. Maybe forever in these parts.

Another chance for a Stanley Cup. Another disappointment. As the Lightning skated off the ice after losing Wednesday night's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, it was hard to recall a more somber ending in Lightning history.

The ending was so gloomy only because everything that happened before it looked so promising.

This felt like a season of destiny, a season that would end with captain Steven Stamkos lifting the Stanley Cup over his head. Almost as soon as it began, back in October, the Lightning quickly showed all the signs of a team that could win it all. Scoring and defense. Veteran leadership and energetic youth. An elite goalie, a smart head coach and a thrifty general manager.

The Lightning had it all.

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