are you bulls electrifed

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Lightning Streak Is Electrifying Bay Area Fans

By IRA KAUFMAN ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: May 1, 2004

 

TAMPA - Longtime Tampa Bay Lightning fans know it hasn't always been like this here.

Nigel Kirwan, for one, still remembers the shoe box.

The hockey team's video coach has been a member of the organization since 1992, when the National Hockey League expanded to the Bay area.

With the team playing in St. Petersburg, trying in vain to fill a cavernous domed stadium, Kirwan routinely would walk into Coach Terry Crisp's office carrying a shoe box filled with tickets to be disbursed free.

``I was very involved in youth hockey at the time, and I'd go to the rinks trying to get rid of a thousand tickets,'' Kirwan said Friday. ``It's safe to say those days are gone.''

For Gary Bettman, it's good riddance.

Bettman, the NHL commissioner, used to cringe when he thought of the Lightning, once a league headache on and off the ice.

Now the team is a headache only for the outmanned opposition.

An excitement is building in the Bay area over a vibrant hockey club awaiting its next opponent, either Philadelphia or Toronto, in the Eastern Conference finals.

The home building is nearly full, but the Lightning bandwagon is standing room only.

``There was a buzz in town when I attended a game last week, the buzz you get in a hockey city that's into the game and loves its hockey team,'' Bettman said by telephone from the league office in New York. ``I saw flags on car windows, people wearing Lightning hats and uniforms, and a lot of talk about the hockey team in hotels and restaurants.''

After eliminating the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL's most storied franchise, the Lightning are eight victories away from raising the Stanley Cup, hockey's most cherished prize.

If that occurs, be prepared for a hockey parade stretching from Ybor City to Harbour Island.

``We're building a generation of fans,'' said Lightning President Ron Campbell, who represented Palace Sports & Entertainment in negotiating the purchase of the franchise from Art Williams in 1999.

``There's a long way to go, but we've come such a long way already. We are converting people that always seemed to have an excuse not to fall in love with our game.''

On the streets of Tampa, signs of love are everywhere.

``Go Lightning'' banners dot the downtown landscape, and a digital display at Tampa International Airport greeted passengers with a message Friday as they descended an escalator toward baggage claim: ``Congratulations to our Tampa Bay Lightning.''

The team's latest exploits are being discussed around water coolers from Largo to Land O' Lakes, and local businesses are crediting the Lightning with a big assist.

``We had people calling up for reservations yesterday - and we don't take any,'' said Alexis Mangieri, a server at Hattricks, a Lightning-themed bar and restaurant on Franklin Street. ``We had the game on eight different TV screens, with one set turned to the Devil Rays. Everyone was dressed in team colors, and the whole place was chanting `Lightning.' We spent the whole night screaming at our customers because we couldn't hear their orders over all the noise.''

After Thursday night's series-clinching victory in Montreal, Kirwan and the rest of a weary team disembarked from the airport bus at 3:30 a.m. Friday, only to be greeted by 65 supporters, many in full Lightning regalia.

General Manager ``Jay Feaster and I had a little side bet on how many people would turn out to greet us,'' Kirwan said. ``I owe Feaster 10 bucks.''

Some fans brandished brooms to celebrate an improbable four-game sweep of the best-of-seven series.

``This feels great,'' said Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier, who scored five goals in the Montreal series. ``Our fans have been supporting us for a long time, and now that we're winning, it's even better. It's nice they're here with us at 3:30 in the morning. You feel special.''

Two of Tampa Bay's first five home playoff games were declared sellouts at the 19,758- seat St. Pete Times Forum, where ticket prices for the next round start at $43.75.

According to Sunshine Network, Lightning viewership set a record during the late stages of Game 3 on Tuesday night, with 138,000 customers in the Bay area tuning in for a 4-3 comeback victory in overtime.

``I went to Game 1 against Montreal, and there's definitely a lot of talk going on around town,'' said Lightning fan Bill Taldone, 47, of Palm Harbor. ``Two people today talked to me about the Lightning - one at a checkout counter at Publix and another at Safety Harbor Spa. I never used to hear anyone talking hockey around here.''

Even George Steinbrenner is catching Lightning fever.

Steinbrenner, owner of baseball's New York Yankees and a Tampa resident, often can be seen cheering in his Forum suite.

``I think it's great what they're doing,'' Steinbrenner said. ``We've got to realize the pricing of playoff tickets is not always easy, but I sense people around town are embracing this team. The people running the Lightning have done a very good job for Tampa Bay, and I believe the people of Tampa Bay will do a good job for the Lightning.''

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio attended a playoff game two weeks ago. By the time she touched ground again, she was transformed.

``You can just feel the excitement in the community,'' Iorio said. ``Hockey was not on my radar screen, but this is really a lot of fun.

``Tampa Bay has the best sports fans, and we have proved we know how to get behind a team. I'm wearing my Lightning pin today, and all I know is I'm seeing ice everywhere.''