The Latest Breaking News from Ross Colton

SUNRISE, Fla. — The clock showed 0.9 seconds remaining and the Florida Panthers were frozen on the ice. Ross Colton had stumbled to the ice in joy and the Panthers were gobsmacked.

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Lightning won two straight Stanley Cups playing like there’s no tomorrow.

OH MY GOD!

TAMPA — Ross Colton is no longer the wide-eyed rookie he was last postseason. He no longer carries that happy-to-be-here demeanor. When the Lightning lose, he’s as angry as the veterans around him and equally determined to show more in the next game.

TAMPA, Fla. — There are rebound games, and then there are statement games.

TAMPA, Fla. — The Lightning cut a three-goal deficit to one in the third period before allowing two empty-net goals in a 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series at Amalie Arena.

This was so unnecessary from Clifford.

TAMPA, Fla. — Something has felt different about the Lightning the past few months. They haven’t been dominant. They haven’t had that familiar swagger. It’s that feeling when champions come down to earth.

TAMPA, Fla. — The Lightning are going to the playoffs, and they know the set of teams they’ll have to get past to return to the Stanley Cup Final. But they only have a few games left to round into postseason form.

TAMPA, Fla. — Ross Colton is still getting used to his new linemates, but if Friday night’s showing against the Blackhawks is any indication, the Lightning’s revamped third line will be just fine.

ELMONT, N.Y. — The Lightning ended the toughest part of their schedule — that much-discussed 11 games in 11 cities stretch that included contests across two countries and four different time zones — with a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders on Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena.