NEW YORK - The day after Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round, Steven Stamkos skated with the Tampa Bay Lightning in a red non-contact sweater. He pushed himself until he was flushed and winded, trying to get in shape in case, maybe, just maybe, he could return from a blood clot that has kept him out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After catching his breath, he talked about watching the Lightning lose to the New York Islanders 5-3. He said he caught himself wondering: What if he had been out there? What if defenseman Anton Stralman had been out there? What if forward JT Brown had been out there?
What if Stamkos, Stralman return for playoffs?
Tampa Bay could be stacked if forward, defenseman come back from injury
