Tampa, Fla. ? Jassen Cullimore never will forget the days when the Tampa Bay Lightning were the laughingstock of the NHL.

The memories make the club’s first trip to the Stanley Cup finals that much sweeter.

“If you would have asked me back then if we would ever be in this situation, I would have told you you’re crazy,” the defenseman said. “Those were some rough times.”

When Cullimore was claimed off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens in January 1998, Tampa Bay was in the middle of the first of four consecutive seasons in which the club lost at least 50 games.

Three years removed from that league-record stretch of futility, the Lightning are Eastern Conference champions. They’ll face the Calgary Flames in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals at home Tuesday night.

“I am not going to lie to you. There’s no chance we thought this would be happening so quick,” coach John Tortorella said.

“We are fortunate. I am so happy for the guys. I am happy the way they did it. I think that was the most important thing … not going in the back door. I think they knocked down the front door and just charged.”

After sqaundering an opportunity to eliminate Philadelphia in Game 6 of the conference finals, the Lightning rebounded to beat the Flyers 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday night.

Instead of trying to sit on a one-goal lead in the third period like they did the previous game, the Lightning dictated the tempo to the final horn.

Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis, left, and Brad Richards celebrate in the locker room after defeating Philadelphia, 2-1, to win the NHL's Eastern Conference. The win Saturday in Tampa, Fla., sent the Lightning into the Stanley Cup finals, which begin Tuesday.

A sign in the Tampa Bay locker room reads “Safe Is Death” and Tortorella reminded the players between the second and third periods that they needed to remain aggressive to stay on top of the Flyers.

“We learned that no matter, win or lose, you don’t want to go out there in the third period and play back on your heels. That’s what happened in Philly,” said center Brad Richards, who had assists on both Tampa Bay goals.

“You can live with yourself if you try to win a game. We didn’t try to win a game and they took it to us (in Game 6).”

The Lightning are in the Cup finals for the first time in just the third playoff appearance in the franchise’s 12-year history. Captain Dave Andreychuk has waited nearly twice as long for the opportunity.

The 40-year-old Andreychuk is in his 22nd NHL season and has played more regular-season games (1,597) than any other active player without stepping on the ice in the league’s championship series.