DonB次元官网网址檛 get Joseph Guggino wrong: heB次元官网网址檚 thrilled to have the Stanley Cup finals in town.

After all, COVID-19 took a heavy toll on TampaB次元官网网址檚 local entrepreneurs and restaurateurs, denying the city a lucrative opportunity to host the Tampa Bay LightningB次元官网网址檚 2020 championship run.

Now, with domestic U.S. travel ramping back up, local economies breathing again and the Bolts back in the finals, GugginoB次元官网网址檚 two-year-old downtown restaurant venture is getting another chance.

Thing is, his wife Marianne Homsy is from Montreal B次元官网网址� and itB次元官网网址檚 showing.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 coming out of her like IB次元官网网址檝e never seen,B次元官网网址� Guggino laughed in an interview Sunday as he described HomsyB次元官网网址檚 reaction to a Game 6 Canadiens goal.

B次元官网网址淢arianne comes running from behind the counter: B次元官网网址極h my God, did we score?B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址榃e?B次元官网网址� WhereB次元官网网址檚 this B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址� coming from?B次元官网网址�

Guggino got the answer from his friend Vincent Lecavalier, the superstar forward who helped the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup in 2004 B次元官网网址� and who also happens to come from Montreal.

B次元官网网址淰innie says, B次元官网网址榊eah, thatB次元官网网址檚 what happens when you donB次元官网网址檛 win a championship for 28 years.B次元官网网址�

In title terms, MondayB次元官网网址檚 Game 1 will be feast versus famine.

Habs fans have been jonesing for a return trip to the finals since 1993, the last time the Canadiens B次元官网网址� or any Canadian team, for that matter B次元官网网址� managed to dislodge the Cup from the United States.

Backstopped by the confident play of Carey Price, the Canadiens have protected their star netminder with tenacious, patient defence, while offensive veterans like Eric Staal and Corey Perry have nurtured and presided over the emergence of young forwards like Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.

Meanwhile, between the Lightning, the World Series finalist Rays and Tom BradyB次元官网网址檚 Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, Tampa is a place awash in championship-tier talent.

It will be nice to finally see some of it in person, Guggino said. Last yearB次元官网网址檚 Stanley Cup final was in Edmonton and the World Series played out in Arlington, Texas. The Super Bowl was in Tampa, but with a limited crowd.

Whether it finally means a boost in business remains to be seen, said Guggino, whose restaurant B次元官网网址� Forbici Modern Italian B次元官网网址� has only been operating since 2019.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 have any baseline for it, because we got robbed of everything with COVID,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 have any of the big hit with the Super Bowl, we didnB次元官网网址檛 have it with the Stanley Cup, and we didnB次元官网网址檛 have it with the Rays when they went to the final.B次元官网网址�

Downtown Tampa looks like a city hungry to bear witness to another championship, the city festooned in simple B次元官网网址淕o BoltsB次元官网网址� banners and flags.

The Bolts are indeed heavy favourites, but so were each of the teams Montreal has dispatched so far on its unlikely playoff surge.

The Habs came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Toronto Maple Leafs, swept the Winnipeg Jets, then took six games to spoil the hopes of the Vegas Golden Knights.

B次元官网网址淲e arenB次元官网网址檛 the underdog,B次元官网网址� Montreal assistant coach Luke Richardson said Sunday.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e very confident in ourselves and what weB次元官网网址檝e accomplished. WeB次元官网网址檝e tuned out the outside of the dressing room and let people say what they want.B次元官网网址�

If history is any indication, there will be no shortage of Montreal fans showing up in person Monday, travel restrictions notwithstanding.

Guggino isnB次元官网网址檛 expecting much in the way of Canadians making the trip to Tampa, given that fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents wonB次元官网网址檛 be exempt from return-trip quarantine until July 5.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 more than enough expatriates living in south Florida to make up for their absence, he said.

Which comprises another of the few drawbacks that come with being a local business magnate in a host city with friends in high hockey places: GugginoB次元官网网址檚 phone wonB次元官网网址檛 stop ringing.

B次元官网网址淚 have these Montrealers B次元官网网址� I had one Montrealer who lives in Miami now say, B次元官网网址楬ey, can you get me two tickets for me and my brother?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎nd, of course, Vinnie B次元官网网址� he was just laughing because his phone, everybody he knows was texting him, saying, B次元官网网址楥an you get me tickets?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩ames McCarten, The Canadian Press