The Tampa Bay Lightning lost game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final Monday night in Chicago, handing the Blackhawks the fabled trophy of NHL champions.
The previous game was in Tampa, where hundreds of fans without tickets to the game watched outside Amalie Arena
The crowd erupted in cheers as the Bolts scored their only goal to tie the game in the second period. Edward Cichon, one of the many die-hard Lightning fans. He’s been to all the home games this season. He believes the Bolts’ playoff run has brought the community together.
“Last game they had out here which was game 3 or game 2, the fire marshal shut the arena down because there was too many people on here. As a whole I think Tampa has come together and everybody stands behind the Bolts right now.”
Speaking of standing behind the Bolts, we spotted Allison Bowers as she goes shopping for a Lightning shirt. Like Edward, she bought tickets to all the home games for this season. For her, it doesn’t really matter if she spent more than a thousand dollars for her favorite team.
“You gotta back your teams. If you don’t back your teams, they go somewhere else. We want them here.”
We also met some die-hard Blackhawk fans who flew down all the way from Chicago to Tampa just to watch Game 5. Bill Danihel, a fan for more than 50 years, does not mind spending a couple of thousand dollars.
“No, no. We’re having fun. This doesn’t happen all the time so you take it when you can get it.”
But now that many ticket prices for Game 6 in Chicago cost more than $10,000, does Bill still want to see the game live?
“No. Hahaha! I flew down for this game, I’m done spendin’.”
