Chronicle of Franకోois Gagnon: The Lightning and the Anguish of Defeat

TAMPA, Fla. – Steven Stankos He was walking very slowly with his head bowed as he entered the interview room.

As soon as the Lightning captain sat up to answer the first question, his teary eyes described the brutal agony of defeat in the Stanley Cup final much better than the words he uttered with a dead throat.

“It hurts so much, I’m sick,” Stamkos admitted without hesitation.

This answer, and especially the approach provided when every word seemed to annoy the captain, called for ordering those like me, who believed that lifting the cup for two years in a row could easily face the penalty that had stopped at two wins. Third in a row.

“Perhaps in hindsight we can be comforted in the end by the magnitude of what we have achieved by being close to the third cup, but right now it’s impossible. I’m so proud to see our team. You do not know how many sacrifices we made to get here. It hurts like the first defeat, ”Stamkos continued his answers, scrolling slowly, very slowly.

Excellent medical report

Patrick Maroon He was more frightened than his captain when he appeared in front of reporters. However, the big striker had not only two but three consecutive wins to grasp the pain of seeing a fourth slip through his fingers.

“But it does not alleviate the pain,” Maroon said, shedding tears …