[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 81 (Monday, June 14, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H3904-H3905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    CONGRATULATING TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING FOR WINNING 2004 STANLEY CUP

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 668) congratulating the Tampa Bay Lightning for 
winning the 2004 National Hockey League Stanley Cup championship and 
for their outstanding performance during the entire 2003-2004 season, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 668

       Whereas the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team has been in 
     existence for 12 seasons;
       Whereas on June 7, 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their 
     first National Hockey League Stanley Cup championship by 
     defeating the Calgary Flames hockey team, 4 games to 3;
       Whereas head coach John Tortorella led the team to the 
     pinnacle of success;
       Whereas John Tortorella was awarded the Jack Adams Award as 
     the National Hockey League's coach of the year after guiding 
     the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Southeast Division title and a 
     top seed in the Eastern Conference with a franchise-best 
     record of 106 points;
       Whereas team player Brad Richards was awarded the Conn 
     Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2004 Stanley 
     Cup playoffs, leading all scorers this postseason by scoring 
     12 goals and assisting on 14 others;
       Whereas Brad Richards, who was the tenth highest scorer in 
     the National Hockey League's regular season, scoring 79 
     points with 26 goals and 53 assists and incurring just 12 
     penalty minutes, also was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy for 
     combining sportsmanship with a high standard of play;
       Whereas team captain Dave Andreychuk is a symbol of 
     inspiration and greatness to the entire Tampa Bay Lightning 
     organization and fans everywhere by winning the Stanley Cup 
     for the first time during his 22 years in the National Hockey 
     League;
       Whereas team player Martin St. Louis was awarded the Hart 
     Trophy as the National Hockey League's 2003-2004 most 
     valuable player during the regular season and the Art Ross 
     Trophy as the League's highest scorer during the regular 
     season, amassing 94 points with 38 goals and 56 assists;
       Whereas the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team is the first 
     hockey team from the State of Florida to win the Stanley Cup; 
     and
       Whereas the entire Tampa Bay community is proud of the 
     Tampa Bay Lightning and their extraordinary season and 
     tremendous accomplishment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team for 
     winning the 2004 National Hockey League Stanley Cup 
     championship and for their outstanding performance during the 
     entire 2003-2004 season;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of the Tampa Bay Lightning 
     players, coaches, owners, and staff who were instrumental in 
     bringing the Stanley Cup to Tampa Bay; and
       (3) congratulates the Tampa Bay community as it celebrates 
     its second major sports championship in less than two years.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Putnam) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam).


                             General Leave

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank my good friend and colleague from Tampa, Florida (Mr. 
Davis) for authoring this resolution and on behalf of the entire 
Florida delegation and frankly the entire State of Florida, we are 
delighted to be here to honor an outstanding team.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the Tampa Bay Lightning 
organization, Coach John Tortorella, general manager Jay Feaster, owner 
Bill Davidson and the entire team on their victory in the Stanley Cup 
finals.

                              {time}  1615

  They all deserve credit for this remarkable achievement, made all the 
more remarkable by the fact that it is a hockey team in Florida, Mr. 
Speaker.
  The Stanley Cup is North America's oldest professional trophy, but 
this year's final belonged to the NHL's youngest generation. The Tampa 
Bay Lightning had won just one playoff series before this season and is 
the first of the eight franchises added since 1991 to win the coveted 
cup.
  The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the National Hockey League in 1992; 
and 12 years later, through hard work, class, a strong work ethic, and 
determination, they are Stanley Cup champions.
  Two years ago, few could have imagined the Lightning making the 
playoffs, much less winning the cup. Before last season, Sports 
Illustrated rated Tampa Bay as the worst of the NHL's 30 teams. Defying 
the experts, the Lightning went on to win the Southeast division and 
accumulated the second most regular season points in the NHL. Now the 
Lightning has proven itself to be the best team in all of hockey.
  Many deserve credit for this remarkable achievement and for turning 
this team into world champions: Coach John Tortorella for his brilliant 
leadership and ensuring the team remained focused, motivated, and 
prepared; owner Bill Davidson for having invested the resources 
necessary to put a winner on the ice; Captain Dave Andreychuk, who at 
the age of 40 had played the most games in the NHL without winning the 
cup; Brad Richards, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' 
most valuable player; goal tender Nikolai Khabibulin, also known as the 
Bulin Wall, for his countless saves; Martin St. Louis, for winning the 
Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player; and all the Tampa Bay 
Lightning players and personnel who worked tirelessly on and off the 
ice all year to make their dreams become a reality.
  Most importantly, I congratulate the fans who have given so much to 
this team. Through years of suffering, the Lightning fans' 
determination and patience have paid off. This is truly a victory for 
the fans.
  I commend the champion Tampa Bay Lightning for a wonderful and 
magical run this year and for all their achievements this season. The 
people of Florida and the entire Tampa Bay region are proud of them. 
They have demonstrated to us all that hard work, perseverance, and 
unity are the foundation of success.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  It is my great pleasure to take the time today to congratulate the 
Tampa Bay Lightning for winning the 2004 National Hockey League Stanley 
Cup championship and to salute them for their outstanding performance 
throughout the season.
  Though only in the league for 12 seasons, the Lightning have quickly 
ascended to the pinnacle of their sport and won the hearts not only of 
their hometown fans in Tampa Bay but of fans all over the world. Tampa 
Bay fans respect that the team plays hockey the way it is supposed to 
be played, with hard work, discipline, and teamwork.
  Special mention must be made of team captain Dave Andreychuk. After 
playing in one of the roughest professional leagues in the world for 21 
years, retiring must have seemed the logical step to take. Instead, 
this true team leader rejoined his teammates for an outstanding 22nd 
season.
  It is not always the case in sports that the most deserving team 
wins. Fortunately, the Lightning of Tampa Bay have been awarded the 
Stanley Cup for their valiant play. The Tampa area is famous for its 
scorching lightning and the Tampa community sure hopes this Lightning 
will strike twice.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the good 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Davis), the author of the resolution.
  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am here with the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Putnam) on behalf of several representatives from the 
Tampa Bay area to add a few words of pride and satisfaction at this 
remarkable achievement. Yes, we heard that right. A Florida hockey team 
in the Tampa Bay area is taking the Stanley Cup home, a truly 
remarkable feat.
  The Tampa Bay area is also considered the lightning capital of the 
world. Not many people know that. And this victory in the Stanley Cup 
confirms that we are a capital of the world now in hockey because of 
the Tampa Bay Lightning. In just 12 seasons, this team has succeeded 
after 23 games in a playoff series in 2 months in winning the Stanley 
Cup.

[[Page H3905]]

  I would like to also highlight some of the remarkable individual 
feats that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) alluded to: the 
sensational saves of goalie Nicolai Khabibulin to maintain a one-goal 
lead in one of the key games; the work of Dave Andreychuk, who was 
mentioned, he played for 22 years, waited this long to win the Stanley 
Cup, setting a tie in terms of the longest amount of service before 
winning the Stanley Cup; Brad Richards, the MVP of the Stanley Cup 
playoffs with 12 goals and 14 assists; the scoring touch of Ruslan 
Fedotenko, who scored both goals in Game 7 against Calgary; Martin St. 
Louie, who is only 5 foot 9 inches tall, but makes up for that with 
tremendous height and heart, scored the thrilling goal in the second 
overtime in Game 6 with Calgary.
  Many of these players I mentioned and others received awards. Our 
Coach Tortorella was honored with the Jack Adams Award as the National 
Hockey League's coach of the year based on this record. There are many 
teams that have played in the NHL far longer than the Tampa Bay 
Lightning who have yet to obtain the Stanley Cup. That is what makes 
this victory all the sweeter.
  I would just close by saying that the Tampa Bay Lightning did not 
just win the Stanley Cup. They won with class, with style, with grace, 
which I might add is hard to do sometimes in the fiercely competitive 
world of hockey. They reflected on the outside what all of us in the 
Tampa Bay area knew was on the inside, that we represent a community 
with a lot of heart, a lot of determination, a lot of perseverance, and 
I want to join the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) and other 
representatives in the Tampa Bay area in congratulating the owner, Bill 
Davidson; the general manager, Jay Feaster; the coach; the players; the 
entire Lightning organization; and all the fans of Tampa Bay for a job 
well done.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  On behalf of a very proud Tampa Bay area, an area that has been 
growing an awful lot of champions in a variety of sports over the last 
several years, I urge adoption of House Resolution 668.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Tampa Bay 
Lighting for winning the 2004 Stanley Cup.
  The Lighting is a remarkable success story. Many people, including 
me, wondered whether this expansion team could compete against 
traditional hockey powerhouses when they joined the league 12 years 
ago. We wondered whether a sport played primarily in Canada and the 
northern-most regions of America could survive in an area where sand 
and sun are the two top attractions. We wondered whether the community 
would embrace a team dominated by foreign players playing a sport with 
rules unfamiliar to many of us.
  The answer to these questions is a resounding yes. The Lighting has 
shown what can be accomplished when you combine skill with hard work, 
determination, and an unyielding will to win. Tampa Bay won the Eastern 
Conference championship this year, posting a stellar 46-22-8-6 record 
along the way. Then they defeated perennial hockey powers New York 
Islanders, Montreal Canadians, and Philadelphia Flyers to reach the 
Stanley Cup finals.
  The Lightning then endured a grueling seven game final against a 
talented Calgary team which used its physical-style of play to batter 
and bruise the boys from Tampa Bay. Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin posted 
one strong game in goal after another. The under-sized but over-
achieving Right Winger, Martin St. Louis--once a Flame--rifled shot 
after shot by and around Calgary defenders. His remarkable season ended 
with being named league MVP. Center Vincent Lecavalier played with a 
toughness which inspired his teammates, as did Left Winger Ruslan 
Fedotenko, who despite being slammed head-first into the boards in game 
five, returned to score both of Tampa Bay's goals in game seven.
  I want to congratulate Tampa Bay's coach, John Tortorella, for 
devising a winning strategy and keeping his charges together during the 
season's many tough times. I also want to commend Brad Richards, winner 
of the Conn Smythe Trophy for finals MVP, and Dave Andreychuk, the 
team's captain, who finally hoisted the Cup after an exemplary 22 year 
career.
  I am proud that Tampa Bay's players won with class and its fans 
celebrated with sportsmanship. The Lightning refused to engage in the 
thuggery and cheap shots which contributed to Calgary's demise. Their 
fans showed that you can celebrate victory and revel in championship 
without the rioting, looting, and lawlessness in which fans in other 
so-called big-time sports cities engage. Let there be no doubt; Tampa 
is a big-time sports city, one whose teams and fans set a standard 
which others would do well to follow.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the hard-working men and women 
of the Tampa Bay area in Congress. I am especially gratified that two 
of its professional sports teams, the Buccaneers and now the Lightning, 
have reached the pinnacle of their professions and shown the spirit, 
determination, and sportsmanship that have come to exemplify Tampa Bay, 
or as others should call it, Titletown. I commend the Lightning on 
winning the 2004 Stanley Cup and for capturing the imagination and 
hearts of a city along the way. I wish them well in next season's title 
defense.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise 
the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, coaches and staff as 2003-2004 
champions of the National Hockey League.
  One week ago today, the ``Ning'' skated to a game seven victory and 
won the coveted, 112-year-old championship trophy: ``Lord Stanley's 
Cup.''
  I'd also like to recognize the outstanding, devoted fans of the Tampa 
Bay area.
  This year's team showed the spirit, work ethic, tenacity and 
sportsmanship that is illustrative of the Central Florida community 
they live in.
  The players, coaches and staff not only provide the fans with a great 
sense of community by uniting them and providing entertainment, many of 
them give back to the community by volunteering in schools, hospitals 
and other community centers.
  On behalf of the thousands of loyal Lightning fans I represent in the 
suburbs north of Tampa, I am delighted to recognize the Tampa Bay 
Lightning for winning the Stanley Cup last week.
  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Putnam) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 668, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________