Two teams headed for tee times next month teamed up for a tilt worthy of more meaningful times. ...more

March 18, 2009

The indoctrination of Steven Stamkos to the NHL hit some hardships this season. ...more

February 19, 2009

Steven Stamkos dropped to a knee before swinging his arm around in a Tiger-esque pump toward the rafters. ...more

February 18, 2009

Lightning rookie and overall No. 1 draft pick Steven Stamkos recorded a natural hat trick in Tuesday's game against Chicago, scoring three consecutive goals. Stamkos, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Feb. 12, scored his first goal of the game at 12:58 of the first period when he jumped on puck that caromed off the end boards to the side of the net that he put past Cristobal Huet that tied the game 1-1. Then Stamkos went to work on the power play in the second period. With Craig Adams in the penalty box for a high sticking double-minor at 9:45, Stamkos gave Tampa Bay the lead at 10:28 when he took a down-low, cross-ice feed at the left point from Vinny Prospal and fired a wrist shot to the top of the neat post and over the right shoulder of Huet. Seventy seconds later, with Stamkos back on the left point on the second half of the power play, Stamkos one-timed a Steve Eminger feed past Huet that gave the Lightning a 3-1 lead 11:38 into the second period. Stamkos took to one knee and gave a Tiger Woods-esque fist pump as hats began to rain down from the stands in celebration of the rookie's first career hat trick performance, the first rookie hat trick in franchise history. It is Stamkos' second multi-goal game of the season. The overall No. 1 pick failed early on to live up to the lofty expectations placed on him when Tampa Bay selected him first at the draft in Ottawa back in June. He had four goals through the first 42 games of the season. But since the coaching staff put him onto a strength-training program, which saw him sit out three games as a healthy scratch, Stamkos has improved his play. In his past 13 games, including Tuesday, Stamkos has six goals and five assists. ...more

February 17, 2009

Through the opening 20 minutes Tuesday, Tampa Bay looked to still be in hibernation mode coming out of the All-Star break. ...more

January 28, 2009

In a battle for the basement, the Lightning came out on the bottom. And Marty St. Louis, for one, is at his boiling point when it comes to being in the cellar. ...more

December 21, 2008

All the Tampa Prep girls soccer team could muster at halftime of its Class 2A state semifinal game on Thursday was silence. ...more

February 8, 2008