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The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Norris Division of the Campbell Conference. The next year, the Lightning were placed in the NHL's new Eastern Conference as members of the Atlantic Division. The Lightning were moved to the Southeast Division as part of the NHL's 1998 expansion to three divisions per conference. In 2013, as part of another realignment and return to a two division format, the Lightning became part of a reconstituted Atlantic Division. The Lightning played in Expo Hall for their inaugural season, and moved to Tropicana Field (then called the ThunderDome) for the 1993–94 season. They moved to their current home in 1996, the Ice Palace, which has since been renamed Amalie Arena.

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The interior of Amalie Arena (then named the St. Petersburg Times Forum) during a Lightning home game in 2007

The Lightning have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs thirteen times in twenty-eight completed seasons and won the Stanley Cup three times, once in 2004 and back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. The Tampa Bay Lightning have won over 1,000 regular season games, the 23rd-highest victory total among NHL teams.[2] They have also lost 1,000 games during the regular season, the ninth-lowest loss total in the NHL.[2] The Lightning have over 2,400 points in their 30 seasons, the tenth-lowest point total in the league.[2]

Tampa Bay made their first playoffs in the 1995–96 season. The team's best year was the 2018–19 season, in which they finished 62–16–4. The team's worst year was the 1997–98 season, in which they finished 17–55–10. Tampa Bay moved to the Southeast Division in 1998, and won the division for the first time in the 2002–03 season. The Lightning won the Eastern Conference and their first Stanley Cup in the following season.[3] As part of the 2013–14 NHL season realignment, the Lightning were relocated into the Atlantic Division after the league reduced from six divisions to four.[4]

Table key

Tampa Bay Lightning opponents by city (1992–2011)
More information Color/symbol, Explanation ...
Key of colors and symbols
Color/symbol Explanation
† Stanley Cup champions
‡ Conference champions
↑ Division champions
# Led league in points
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More information Term or abbreviation, Definition ...
Key of terms and abbreviations
Term or abbreviation Definition
Finish Final position in division or league standings
GP Number of games played
W Number of wins
L Number of losses
T Number of ties
OT Number of losses in overtime (since the 1999–2000 season)
Pts Number of points
GF Goals for (goals scored by the Lightning)
GA Goals against (goals scored by the Lightning's opponents)
— Does not apply
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Year by year

More information NHL season, Lightning season ...
Year by year listing of all seasons played by the Tampa Bay Lightning
NHL season Lightning season Conference Division Regular season[5][6] Postseason
Finish GP W L T OT Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1992–93[a] 1992–93 Campbell Norris 6th 84 23 54 7 — 53 245 332 — — — — — Did not qualify
1993–94 1993–94 Eastern[b] Atlantic 7th 84 30 43 11 — 71 224 251 — — — — — Did not qualify
1994–95[c] 1994–95 Eastern Atlantic 6th 48 17 28 3 — 37 120 144 — — — — — Did not qualify
1995–96 1995–96 Eastern Atlantic 5th 82 38 32 12 — 88 238 248 6 2 4 13 26 Lost conference quarterfinals to Philadelphia Flyers, 2–4[7]
1996–97 1996–97 Eastern Atlantic 6th 82 32 40 10 — 74 217 247 — — — — — Did not qualify
1997–98 1997–98 Eastern Atlantic 7th 82 17 55 10 — 44 151 269 — — — — — Did not qualify
1998–99 1998–99 Eastern Southeast[d] 4th 82 19 54 9 — 47 179 292 — — — — — Did not qualify
1999–2000 1999–2000 Eastern Southeast 4th 82 19 47 9 7[e] 54 204 310 — — — — — Did not qualify
2000–01 2000–01 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 24 47 6 5 59 201 280 — — — — — Did not qualify
2001–02 2001–02 Eastern Southeast 3rd 82 27 40 11 4 69 178 219 — — — — — Did not qualify
2002–03 2002–03 Eastern Southeast↑ 1st 82 36 25 16 5 93 219 210 11 5 6 22 29 Won conference quarterfinals vs. Washington Capitals, 4–2
Lost conference semifinals to New Jersey Devils, 1–4[8]
2003–04 2003–04 Eastern‡ Southeast↑ 1st 82 46 22 8 6 106 245 192 23 16 7 60 43 Won conference quarterfinals vs. New York Islanders, 4–1
Won conference semifinals vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–0
Won conference finals vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 4–3
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Calgary Flames, 4–3[9]†
2004–05[f] 2004–05 Eastern Southeast — — — — — — — — — — — — — — No playoffs due to lockout
2005–06 2005–06 Eastern Southeast 2nd 82 43 33 —[g] 6 92 252 260 5 1 4 13 23 Lost conference quarterfinals to Ottawa Senators, 1–4[10]
2006–07 2006–07 Eastern Southeast 2nd 82 44 33 — 5 93 253 261 6 2 4 14 19 Lost conference quarterfinals to New Jersey Devils, 2–4[11]
2007–08 2007–08 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 31 42 — 9 71 223 267 — — — — — Did not qualify
2008–09 2008–09 Eastern Southeast 5th 82 24 40 — 18 66 210 279 — — — — — Did not qualify
2009–10 2009–10 Eastern Southeast 3rd 82 34 36 — 12 80 217 260 — — — — — Did not qualify
2010–11 2010–11 Eastern Southeast 2nd 82 46 25 — 11 103 247 240 18 11 7 59 45 Won conference quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4–3
Won conference semifinals vs. Washington Capitals, 4–0
Lost conference finals to Boston Bruins, 3–4[12]
2011–12 2011–12 Eastern Southeast 3rd 82 38 36 — 8 84 235 281 — — — — — Did not qualify
2012–13[h] 2012–13 Eastern Southeast 4th 48 18 26 — 4 40 148 150 — — — — — Did not qualify
2013–14 2013–14 Eastern Atlantic[i] 2nd 82 46 27 — 9 101 240 215 4 0 4 10 16 Lost first round to Montreal Canadiens, 0–4[13]
2014–15 2014–15 Eastern‡ Atlantic 2nd 82 50 24 — 8 108 262 211 26 14 12 65 62 Won first round vs. Detroit Red Wings, 4–3
Won second round vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–2
Won conference finals vs. New York Rangers, 4–3
Lost Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago Blackhawks, 2–4[14]
2015–16 2015–16 Eastern Atlantic 2nd 82 46 31 — 5 97 227 201 17 11 6 48 40 Won first round vs. Detroit Red Wings, 4–1
Won second round vs. New York Islanders, 4–1
Lost conference finals to Pittsburgh Penguins, 3–4[15]
2016–17 2016–17 Eastern Atlantic 5th 82 42 30 — 10 94 234 227 — — — — — Did not qualify
2017–18 2017–18 Eastern Atlantic↑ 1st 82 54 23 — 5 113 296 236 17 11 6 50 48 Won first round vs. New Jersey Devils, 4–1
Won second round vs. Boston Bruins, 4–1
Lost conference finals to Washington Capitals, 3–4
2018–19 2018–19 Eastern Atlantic↑ 1st 82 62 16 — 4 128# 325 222 4 0 4 8 19 Lost first round to Columbus Blue Jackets, 0–4
2019–20[j] 2019–20 Eastern‡ Atlantic 2nd 70 43 21 — 6 92 245 195 25 18 7 78 57 Finished second in seeding round-robin (2–1)
Won first round vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 4–1
Won second round vs. Boston Bruins, 4–1
Won conference finals vs. New York Islanders, 4–2
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Dallas Stars, 4–2†
2020–21[k] 2020–21 — Central 3rd 56 36 17 — 3 75 181 147 23 16 7 75 45 Won first round vs. Florida Panthers, 4–2
Won second round vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 4–1
Won Stanley Cup semifinals vs. New York Islanders, 4–3
Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. Montreal Canadiens, 4–1†
2021–22 2021–22 Eastern‡ Atlantic 3rd 82 51 23 — 8 110 287 233 23 14 9 67 61 Won first round vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4–3
Won second round vs. Florida Panthers, 4–0
Won conference finals vs. New York Rangers, 4–2
Lost Stanley Cup Finals to Colorado Avalanche, 2–4
2022–23 2022–23 Eastern Atlantic 3rd 82 46 30 — 6 98 283 254 6 2 4 21 23 Lost first round to Toronto Maple Leafs, 2–4
2023–24 2023–24 Eastern Atlantic 4th 82 45 29 — 8 98 291 268 5 1 4 14 20 Lost first round to Florida Panthers, 1–4
Totals 2,440 1,127 1,029 112 172 2,538 7,077 7,401 219 124 95 617 576 Playoff series record: 25–13
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Notes

  • a In 1992, the NHL expanded the season to 84 games, and each team played two games at a neutral site. After the 1995 lockout, the neutral site games were eliminated, and the season was reduced to 82 games.[16]
  • b The NHL realigned into Eastern and Western conferences prior to the 1993–94 season. Tampa Bay was placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.[17]
  • c The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 1994–95 NHL lockout.[18]
  • d The NHL added 4 expansion teams prior to the 1998–99 season and split the Eastern Conference into three divisions: Northeast, Atlantic, and Southeast. Tampa Bay was moved into the new Southeast division.[19]
  • e Beginning with the 1999–2000 season, teams received one point for losing a regular season game in overtime.[20]
  • f The season was canceled because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout.[21]
  • g Before the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted a penalty shootout for regular season games that remained tied after a five-minute overtime period, which prevented ties.[22]
  • h The season was shortened to 48 games because of the 2012–13 NHL lockout.[23]
  • i The NHL realigned prior to the 2013–14 season. Tampa Bay was placed in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.[24]
  • j The regular season was cut short, and the playoffs were modified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • k The season was shortened to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [25]

References

External links

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