CHICAGO - The temptation is there for the Tampa Bay Lightning to smell it, to reach out and touch the opportunity sitting in front of them.
This deep into the playoffs, the Lightning are just two wins away from a Stanley Cup title, well aware that the toughest victories await. But as they prepare for Game 4 here Wednesday against the Blackhawks, it’s tough not to acknowledge how far they’ve come and to recognize what one, final push could do for the franchise.
“That locker room over there (the Blackhawks), there’s no panic in their game right now,” Tampa forward Brenden Morrow said Tuesday morning at the United Center, where several hours earlier they recorded a 3-2 win to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven final.