TAMPA, Fla.- Few National Hockey League teams have succeeded more than the Tampa Bay Lightning. Since 2014, the franchise has reached the Conference Finals six times and the Stanley Cup Finals four times, resulting in back-to-back Stanley Cup Final championships in 2019–20 and 2020–21.
They were the first repeat champions since the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017 and the third team to do it since 1993. However, before their extended run of league dominance, a brief flash in the pan run led to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final. Let’s look at where The Lightning are now and revisit the legendary 2003–04 championship team.
Where The Lightning Are Now
As noted, Tampa Bay has arguably been the most successful franchise in the NHL across the past decade. They have reached the postseason nine times in the past ten seasons, reaching the conference final an astounding six times.
However, as it stands, Tampa Bay is desperately holding onto the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. Their 2024 Stanley Cup odds rest at just +2500, suitable for the 14th-best in the league as the team has been struggling. As of February 23, they had a goal differential of precisely zero, scoring 198 goals and surrendering 198 goals.
Despite that, they still have 65 points, a five-point lead over the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, and New York Islanders. According to ESPN’s odds, they have been average this season but still have an 80% chance of making the postseason. Tampa Bay’s regression is a continuation of their struggles last season, where they finished with a .598 points percentage, their lowest since 2016–17, and got bounced in the first round of the playoffs.
The end of their dominant run is near, which makes it the perfect time to revisit their first Stanley Cup win, a championship that came out of nowhere.
Revisiting The 2003–04 Regular Season
In 2003, Tampa Bay sports teams were new at being competitive. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were one of the worst teams in baseball, while the Buccaneers of the National Football League spent their first several decades in the league as one of the worst teams in their sport. The Lightning was no different. Aside from a trip to the Conference Quarterfinals in 1995–96, the team was relatively uncompetitive until the 2002–03 season.
It was then that the Tampa Bay sports scene leaped. The Buccaneers had been competitive since 1999 but finally broke through with a Super Bowl win in February 2003, the first championship in Tampa Bay’s history. The Lightning were coming off a successful campaign of their own, reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 1995–96 season and reaching the Conference Semifinals. It was John Tortorella’s second season as the head coach in Tampa Bay and a breakout year for a 26-year-old right-wing named Martin St. Louis.
Before the 2003-04 season, Tampa Bay had +2500 odds to win the Stanley Cup, the same odds that the meddling 2023–24 Lightning currently have. Shockingly, The Lightning carried that momentum into the and won a franchise-record 46 games behind St. Louis, who won the Hart Trophy for the first and only time in his Hall of Fame career.
A Grueling Postseason Capped With A Stanley Cup
Tampa Bay entered the postseason as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and the #2 overall seed behind the Detroit Red Wings. The playoffs started easy enough, as the Lightning rolled through the Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens, winning eight of nine games. However, the final two postseason series were heavyweight fights, both going the full seven games.
The Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers was arguably the best postseason series. The Lightning took Game 1, but neither team won back-to-back games, trading wins back to Tampa Bay for Game 7. In the deciding game, the Lightning took a quick 2-0 lead and held on to secure their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Things would not get easier from there.
This time, Tampa Bay was down 1–0 in the series to the Calgary Flames. The loss gave Calgary a home-ice advantage, which the Lightning lost again in a Game 5 home loss. Tampa Bay’s Game 5 loss put them down 3–2 in the series, needing to go into Calgary for a series-tying win. What followed was arguably the best game of the postseason.
The teams traded goals in the 2nd period, carrying a 2–2 tie into overtime. After a scoreless overtime, St. Louis scored a forecheck goal to send the series back to Tampa Bay for Game 7. In the deciding game, the Lightning scored the first two goals and held on to win their first-ever championship.
What Happened After The Cup?
The celebration lasted longer than anybody expected, as the strike caused the 2004–05 season to be canceled. The Lightning were forced to wait until 2005-06 to defend their title, a season that saw Tampa Bay win 43 games only to fall in the first round.
While the 2003–04 team didn’t have the longevity that the Tampa Bay teams of the last decade, it is undoubtedly a memorable championship in the hearts of Lightning fans. While it’s unlikely that the Lightning will be serious contenders in this season’s Stanley Cup Final, fans can look at this season with hope that anything can happen.
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