There was hockey. And a hockey team that sailed beyond the stars.

It was unforgettable.

We forgot.

Into the black hole went the Lightning with the rest of the locked down and brain dead National Hockey League. We lost all sense of time.

``Seems like a hundred years ago,'' Chris Dingman said.

In fact, Tuesday marks just the first anniversary of that night at the Forum when Dingman and his teammates skated with the Stanley Cup. And into oblivion.

Dingman didn't know Tuesday makes one year since the win over Calgary in Game 7. He should have phoned a friend.

``June 7, 2004,'' Marty St. Louis said. ``That day is like the birthday of one of your kids.''

The most valuable player of the last NHL season played was on his cell phone at a playground near his Connecticut home while pushing one of his kids on a swing. Marty pushed and thought about June 7. Childlike wonder remains.

``Amazing journey,'' St. Louis said.

He misses it.

``That and the boys.''

Remember When?

For two months last year, hockey came to fear The Bolt. And Tampa Bay came to love it. For two months last year, and the wildest playoff ride in the history of this town, the boys gave and gave.

``We're a band of brothers,'' Brad Lukowich said when it was done.

By the end, it was hard to tell where the black and blue ended and the Lightning began. They saved enough strength to lift the Cup.

Remember?

Remember captain Dave Andreychuk, a champion at last after 22 seasons?

Remember Marty, the little MVP who could, who saved all their dreams with that Game 6 overtime winner in Calgary? Remember your white knuckles?

Remember what offsides is?

Remember the games in Montreal, the upstarts skating under those Canadiens Stanley Cup banners? Remember Vinny Lecavalier under those banners, with his last-minute, between-the-legs goal to tie Game 3? Remember Brad Richards' overtime winner? Remember all the Richards goals that won it?

Remember the big, bad Flyers? Remember their big, fat coach, Ken Hitchcock?

Remember his Lightning counterpart? Here's a hint: Shut your yap. When the Cup was won, John Tortorella smiled. We have photographs and everything.

Remember Dan Boyle's house burning during that Game 1 loss to the Flames? Remember Danny boy scoring the next game? Remember Ruslan Fedotenko giving the Bolts the goals they needed that final night? Remember the man on that wall the whole way through? His name was Nikolai Khabibulin. Remember?

As June 7 became June 8, the boys slid across beer-soaked plastic sheeting in their dressing room, sheared their playoff beards and chugged champagne and beer from Stanley.

``It's what you always dreamed about,'' Conn Smythe winner Richards said. ``You get to act like a 4-year-old. Like a little boy.''

Remember?

Stanley Coming To Town

Maybe you don't.

Who could blame you?

Lightning management is trying to jar memories. On anniversary night, fans will be welcomed into the Forum to watch a replay of Game 7. Stanley will be there. The Lightning players won't. Maybe it'll never be the same.

Marty St. Louis helped his 2-year-old, Ryan, onto another swing. Another boy, Lucas, happened along during the lockout. You could hear the laughter of children over the phone. You know how little boys are when they're happy.

Tuesday is June 7.

``And it means something,'' Marty said.

Happy birthday.

Even without the party.