Facing the prospect of a second consecutive Stanley Cup celebration in isolation in Canada, the Tampa Bay Lightning insist they’re focused on completing a sweep of the Montreal Canadiens and not the prospect of winning at home in front of family and friends.
However, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said Sunday she would like to see the Lightning clinch the Cup on home ice.
“What we would like is for the Lightning to take it a little bit easy, to give the Canadiens just the smallest break, allow them to win one at home, and then bring it back to the Amalie Arena for the final and the winning of the Stanley Cup,” she said. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. But they are playing some amazing, amazing hockey.”
The Lightning can sweep the Canadiens out of the Cup Final in Game 4 on Monday night. Lightning family members were not given an exemption by the Canadian government to cross the border for the possible festivities, so it would be reminiscent of September, when Tampa Bay won the Cup in the bubble in Edmonton, Alberta.