Tampa mayor hopes Lightning lose Game 4, win Stanley Cup at home

David Amber and Elliotte Friedman discussed the mood around the city of Montreal since the Canadiens' Game 3 loss, the Tampa Bay Lightning's killer instinct, and why both teams could look very different next season.

Most Tampa Bay Lightning fans will be rooting for their team to get the job done in Monday’s Game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre. But Tampa’s mayor says she’s rooting for a home-ice celebration.

“What we would like is for the Lightning to take it a little bit easy, to give the Canadiens just the smallest break, allow them to win one at home, and then bring it back to Amalie Arena for the final and the winning of the Stanley Cup,” mayor Jane Castor said Sunday. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but (the Lightning) are playing some amazing hockey.”

The defending champion Lightning will take a 3-0 series lead into Monday’s Game 4 in Montreal. The team did win the Cup on home ice back in 2004 but last year had to do it in a strict bubble environment in Edmonton.

There are other off-ice concerns that could motivate the Lightning to end the series as quickly as possible. Tropical Storm Elsa is building in the Gulf of Mexico and, according to local NBC station WFLA, could hit the city with stormy weather as early as Monday.

You can watch Monday’s Game 4 on Sportsnet and SN Now beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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