Tampa Bay Lightning History.

Tampa Bay Lightning, professional ice hockey team and one of five teams in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning play at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida, and wear uniforms of black, blue, silver, and white. The team’s name was chosen as a symbol of swiftness and strength.

Tampa Bay joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1992, with Hockey Hall of Fame member Phil Esposito serving as the team’s first general manager. The club placed last in its division in its first two seasons and second to last in its third year. Center Brian Bradley, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, emerged as the Lightning’s top scorer.

In the 1995-96 season Tampa Bay qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Important players included defenseman Roman Hamrlik and goalie Daren Puppa, whose save percentage and goals-against average each ranked in the NHL’s top five. The Lightning lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening round of the playoffs.

In 2003 the Lightning made it to the playoffs and won a series for the first time, losing in the second round. The following year Tampa Bay finished first in the Eastern Conference and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. After trailing in the series three games to two, the Lightning came back to win the Cup in seven games over the Calgary Flames.