Friday, 3 a.m.
From here, you can see the darkness.
From here, you can hear the silence of an empty arena. You can imagine the fans who may not have much left to cheer about. You can see the rocks below.
From here, the Tampa Bay Lightning can see the off-season.
The Bolts are down to their last breath after Thursday night’s 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Playing at Amalie
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Arena didn’t make a difference — once again, the Panthers were quicker, crisper in their third straight victory.
This time, the Bolts were able to get a lead. They went ahead 2-1 early in the second period on goals by Steven Stamkos and Tyler Motte. But the Panthers regained the lead by the end of the period, then closed the Lightning out in the third.
Nicholas Paul also scored a goal for the Bolts.
“It was disappointing that second period down a goal,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I felt we deserved a better fate. Don’t get me wrong — two good players shooting pucks, but one of them was from 60-something feet, the other was through a screen.”
All of it puts the Lightning in a situation where they have to win the next game…and the next…and the one after that … and the next.
The Bolts play the Panthers Sunday afternoon at 5 p.m. at Amalie Arena.
