TAMPA, Fla. — Could the Tampa Bay Lightning be welcomed home Tuesday — Stanley Cup in tow — by a tropical storm?
Tampa Bay, which can win its second straight Stanley Cup with a victory in Game 4 Monday in Montreal, had not made any alterations to its travel plans as Tropical Storm Elsa approached the Florida peninsula late Sunday afternoon.
Win or lose, the Lightning plan to fly back to Tampa Tuesday morning. According to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. update on Sunday, Elsa is expected to bear down on the Gulf Coast Tuesday, with the center of the storm approaching the Tampa Bay coast Tuesday around 8 p.m.
The Lightning lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. Under terms of a deal the league worked out with the Canadian government to allow the teams to fly to Canada without mandatory quarantining, Tampa Bay is restricted to its team hotel and the arena.
“You never know what’s going to happen in the course of the game or a series, so we’re focused on our start next game,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “We want to come out extremely hard, and we realize both teams understand the situation that they’re in.
“We’re excited for the challenge, and all those things will take care of itself. Obviously, a couple wrinkles with the situation that we’re in here in Canada and then the storm back home. We want to make sure everyone’s safe, but at the same time this group is focused on the game.”
The Lightning and the league will continue to monitor Elsa’s progress. If necessary, Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m.
