TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued a "heartfelt thank you" to the Tampa Bay Lightning on behalf of the city on Monday after the team's quest for a three-peat ended.
"What they've accomplished on the ice is simply amazing, and what they've accomplished off the ice is just as amazing," Castor said.
Castor also thanked Jeff and Penny Vinik, owners of the team, for the investments they've made in the community.
On Sunday night, the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program donated more than $1.2 million to charities after providing each of its 200+ full-time employees with a $5,000 grant to donate to the nonprofit of their choice.
"Jeff and Penny Vinik are champions in the Tampa Bay area and our Tampa Bay Lightning are definitely the champions," Castor said. "They gave it all that they had and they left everything — everything — on the ice."
Castor also issued congratulations to the Colorado Avalanche, "we'll let them have the Stanley Cup — Stanley probably needs a little bit of mountain air for about a year before he comes back to work on that tan next year when, once again, the Tampa Bay Lightning hoist that Stanley Cup for the third time."
