Hundreds of fans came the Tampa International Airport Jet Center early Saturday to welcome home the Tampa Bay Lightning, hours after the team clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
“I can’t believe the fan support we have,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “... I know everybody on our plane, all the players, were looking out the window so excited to see these fans.” The Lightning advanced to the championship round by defeating the host New York Rangers, 2-0, in Game 7 in the NHL Eastern Conference finals. Cooper, albeit weary from the late hour and flight from New York, took a few moments to thank the celebrators.