The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to host the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union™ NHL Stadium Series on February 1, 2026. Ticketing information and start time along with additional details will be announced soon and it will be one of the coolest tickets ever available for the Tampa area.
The game will be part of a crazy weekend in the area with the annual Gasparilla Invasion being held on Bayshore which draws close to 100,000 attendees dressed up and partying like they were part of Jack Sparrow’s crew.
“We couldn’t be more excited for this landmark event to finally arrive for Bolts Nation and the Tampa Bay community,” said Lightning CEO Steve Griggs. “This moment has been a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to see this dream become a reality.
I want to thank our incredible partners at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, the Tampa Sports Authority and all of Team Tampa Bay for their tireless efforts and unwavering belief in making the impossible possible. We also express our gratitude to Commissioner Bettman and the NHL for their innovative thinking and for bringing this event to Tampa Bay.”
“Hosting an NHL Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium has been our ‘white whale’ as a community for the last decade and we’re excited for our collective and unprecedented dream to finally become a reality,” said Rob Higgins, Executive Director, Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
“We could not be more grateful to our friends at the NHL, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Sports Authority, as well as all of our other Team Tampa Bay partners for the collaboration and vision to help make this happen. Tampa Bay is a truly special place that is consistently capable of pulling off what many think is impossible.”
“Stanley Cups, strings of sellouts and the exponential growth of youth and high school hockey throughout the state have demonstrated that Florida is a hockey hotbed. Outdoor NHL games in the Sunshine State? Never let it be said that our League isn’t willing to accept a challenge,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
The Panthers and Lightning have told us repeatedly that they and their fans want this special experience. Beginning in Miami on Jan. 2, when the Panthers host the Rangers in the Discover NHL Winter Classic, we will stage a month-long celebration of hockey throughout Florida that will culminate in Tampa on Feb. 1, when the Lightning host the Bruins in the Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. Florida, we’re bringing our unique events to you, and we can’t wait.”
The 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™ will be the first outdoor regular season game in Tampa Bay.
Crossovers in music are nothing new. Aerosmith and Run DMC. Metallica and San Francisco Symphony. FFDP and Brantley Gilbert? That’s right, after their cover of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue on Black” with Brian May of Queen and others joining in, they hit the road together. Joining them was Canadian country music sensation, Cory Marks.
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Cory’s not a newcomer to the stage or music. For a few years now he has been cementing his status in county music, and it’s something people of all ages were there for. With his band starting the rain of guitar picks through the night, this electric stage performance set the bar high for the night. Coasting across the stage he made sure everyone felt the love, especially as he kept yelling “Tampa” to hype the crowd.
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Playing through a seven-song set, he put a crushing touch on “Keep Doing What I Do”, “In Me I Trust” and “Blame It On The Double” to a rather full audience for the opening band. His incredibly talented set of touring musicians backing him play like a well-oiled machine.
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Their fan interactions are just as powerful as Cory’s and it sets the stage for a great night of music. The backlit stage makes for an interesting mix of band lights and smoke for a unique experience, especially when he tosses out t-shirts and grabs a fan’s phone to record a quick clip!!
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Brantley Gilbert has been at this for some time now. Over the course of his 15 years in the big time, he’s racked up a few CMAs, iHeart Radio awards, and some mainstream success with the song “Bottoms Up” as well as his cover with FFDP, and well as “A Country Boy Can Survive.” Naturally, all three were on tap tonight, along with 12 other tracks.
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Emerging from the back to a dark but foggy and backlit stage and the start of “Back in Black”, Brantley Gilbert took command of the room from the opening notes of “Kick It in The Sticks.”
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This kind of country anthem is one that both the guys on the farm and those who wish they could be can connect with, and even the metal heads found themselves nodding along as the country fans all around sang along. Jumping through “Hell On Wheels”, “Son of The Dirty South”, and “Country Must Be Country Wide” before landing on “One Hell of An Amen.”
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Taking a moment to express his pride in being a southern man, and how in the south that means showing appreciation for the Veterans. Thanking them for their service, he dedicated the song to them, and the patriotism and love on his face were the signs of deep respect from a true American. With just three songs left in this 15-song set, he ended with “Read Me My Rights,” a song nearly half of the audience could personally identify with, and the other half had family that could attest to it.
Following a lengthy break to change over the stage, the lights dropped before FFDP took the stage. With the sounds of Ivan teasing the crowd through the mic, the roars of the crowd became deafening. As the curtain dropped, Washington monuments on both sides of the stage flanked an infinity-shaped snake behind the drum kit.
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Kicking off with “Inside Out” Ivan ran around the stage a bit as he sang and tossed his sweater to a fan up on the rail. Carrying over through “Trouble” and into “Wash It All Away” you could sense and see a change in the crowd. Especially as the pyro kicked in at full force.
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People of all ages connect deeply to the song, and you could see them hugging and dancing together as they sang. Even my non-metal head fiancé was surprised and touched at seeing this. Oddly enough, the photo pit and rail were “washed away” by Ivan’s water bottle mid-song.
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Complete with a voiceover segue, “Jekyll & Hyde” came up next. With Ivan now doing another wardrobe change and coming out in a custom Lightning sweater, the energy in the building hit one of its highest peaks of the night. Fans followed his commands to raise their hands and waive them side to side, he paraded around the stage while dancing at times as he sang.
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The energy coming from the stage by the entire band was being picked up by the audience and reshared back out. Seeing a kid pressed to the rail, Ivan shooed the wet photographers to the side so he could hand his signature cobra cane to the young man. His eyes shrink wrapped in tears, he was overcome with emotion being so close to him.
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Ivan tossed out stacks of the FFDP signature cash as confetti coated the arena, and gave the sound guy what he had coming for forcing Ivan to push his voice too hard. Following the tongue-lashing, Ivan’s sound was not only much louder but also clearer. For “Sham Pain”, he really needed the extra range by not having to scream, or else he’d likely break his vocal cords.
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Ivan brought back the patriotism as he came out with an American flag, waving it and telling the crowd “Every time I hear you chant ‘USA’ I know my grandfather can hear you!!” He explained how his grandfather served as a Marine as they launched into “Bad Company.”
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The cover of the Bad Company signature tune that put them on the map with those outside the metal community still sounds just as amazing in 2022 as it did when they first released it. What wasn’t out then were the “F*ck Joe Biden” chants that also accompanied the intro. Given the lack of respect for the military given by the current administration and their pro-military stance, as shown in the video for the single, it fits well.
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Following that, Ivan discussed his love for covers, and joked about someone yelling for “Freebird,” but not much of the crowd sang along beyond the opening bars. However, “You Remind Me” by Nickleback had a thunderous response. Joking about how guys will sing that with the lights down, but not up, he pressed through the rest of the 17-song set. Unfortunately “Wrong Side of Heaven” suffered from some problems getting into the right key, and it seemed to be a reflection of the earlier sound problems for Ivan. Mind you, the rest of the band’s guitars and bass sounded amazing.
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With a side-versus-side competition for “Burn mother*cker, burn!!” between Ivan and bassist Chris Kael, the crowd somehow got even deeper invested in the set. As the rest of the band took a break with just the drummer lit, one of the best-lit and performed drum solos from Charlie Engen, came forth.
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Not having seen him before, I was absolutely amazed at what he could do. Naturally, Zoltan Bathory and Andy James raised the bar once again after this brief break, and they had even the “seasoned” farmers in overalls and s*itkickers dancing around across the floor.
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Heading into “Life Me Up” Ivan took the opportunity to recognize more members of the audience. One lady “Hack” chose one of Ivan’s bats over a hug for her 4-year sobirthday. Another guy whose social media content Ivan has grown to love also got a bat of his own. Ending with “The Bleeding” the band took a bow and preceded to hand out a ton of guitar picks, extra FFDP cash, drumsticks, and setlists.
After the band left and most of the crowd too, Ivan stayed around to shake hands, take photos, and give fans a real connection moment. I’ve never seen him do this before, and it was a real treat.
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The tour rolls on, with dates scattering the country before ending back in Las Vegas on December 17th. If you haven’t caught these groups before, it’s worth the price to spring for floor tickets.
The energy on the floor for these bands is much stronger as you rub shoulders with your fellow knuckleheads. It’s strange seeing the energy-crossing genres like this when you see how so many paint country music and metal into different categories. Truth be told, both groups are the same people, just one has closer neighbors and grocery stores.
After playing 130 hockey games in the bubble, The NHL’s season came to a conclusion with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup. The 2-0 victory over the Dallas Stars was much deserved as the Lightning played a complete game and controlled the final 30 minutes. Defenseman Victor Hedman was named the Conn Smythe Award winner for MVP of the playoffs and he earned it with 10 goals and stellar defensive work throughout the series.
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There were a bunch of unsung heroes throughout the series like Janni Gourde who was a spitfire all series and Tyler Johnson. Johnson was the most snakebit as he struggled to find the back of the net but his grit and heart shined as he battled the larger Stars defensemen.
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The team played their positions perfectly all night as Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli led the forecheck and backchecking crew during the pivotal third period and withheld Dallas’ surge. Assistant Captain Ryan McDonaugh was also strong during the series and provided a defensive backbone while chipping in offensively when needed
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Midseason acquisitions also played a definitive role as Blake Coleman had a huge goal from Cedric Paquette in game 6. Barkley Goodrow blocked shot after shot along as Zack Bogosian recovered from his early series struggles, to pay a rock solid game 6.
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Lets not forget about the superstars who brought their “A” game thoughout the series. The line of Palat, Point and Kucherov were unstoppable. After a combined -7 in game 1, the line combined for 21 points and Dallas could not find a way to slow them down. Brayden Point had quite the case for MVP as did Kucherov. In games that Point scored a goal, the Lightning accumulated an 11-0 record. In addition, Point set a Lightning playoff record with 14 goals throughout the postseason.
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Last but definitely not least was the stellar play of last years Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. He only had to stop 22 shots because of the stellar defense that was played, but made big stops when he had to to get the shutout.
Vassy also moved the puck fluidly which acted like a 6th skater and got the defenseman the puck and quickly out of the zone. It was a clinic on how to handle the puck which Martin Broduer would have been proud of.
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How about the job that Jon Cooper did with this team and recovering from the huge disappointments in the past where some pundits started calling for his job. Cooper and his staff never wavered and just moved forward by making subtle changes like going to 7 defensemen and 11 forwards to provide a wall of defense that kept their legs fresh.
Photo Travis Failey Courtesy of NBC
Finally, we cannot forget the Captain Steven Stamkos and his role during these 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even though he only played 5 shifts and 2:37 seconds, Stamkos made the most of it by scoring a huge goal in game three and providing support to his teamates when he couldn’t play. Victor Hedman called Stamkos the best captain in all of sports
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Through all the ups and downs with this version of The Tampa Bay Lightning, one man has remained steadfast in his philosophy and love for this town and desire to win the Stanley Cup and that has been Owner Jeff Vinik.
After last years collapse, Mr. Vinik could have made changes but he stayed the course with Jon Cooper and General Manager Julien Julien BriseBois. Mr. Vinik provided them assets to make the off-season and in-season moves that were key factors in meeting their ultimate goal. We cant say enough about Mr. Vinik as he has not only changed our community for the better but also provided this franchise with the stability they lacked for years.
The fans are also owned a a level of gratitude as they have been the Distant Thunder this year and in the past have stood by this team through thick and thin.
This Stanley Cup is for Tampa Bay, our community as One.
After a grueling month and a half in the bubble, the NHL is finally down to 2 teams. Starting tonight at 7:30, the Dallas Stars are going to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa Bay was always expected to be a front runner to make the finals, but Dallas has made an improbable run led by goaltender Anton Khudobin. Tampa on the other hand, has looked solid overall but Dallas is the more rested team coming into this series.
(PHOTO Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports)
For the Lightning, this is their second finals appearance in 5 years, while this is the Stars first appearance in the finals since 2000. Each team has won one Stanley Cup in their respective franchise history. This series should feature a mix of everything. It should be a fast paced yet physical series that will include some great goaltending and skill players on each side.
According to betting odds, Dallas is an underdog to win the series but that is not going to faze them. They were fairly significant underdogs in their last two series which saw them knock off the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights. To win this series, Dallas is going to need Khudobin to keep up his stellar play and they are going to need to continue to keep scoring like they are. So far this playoffs, Miro Heiskanen has been a monster on the blue line. He is leading the team with 22 playoff points while averaging over 25 minutes a game. If Dallas is able to contain the high scoring offense of the Lightning, they should be able to have low scoring games and have a chance to win.
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The preseason favorite Tampa Bay Lightning have been looking like the team to beat all postseason. After beating the Blue Jackets early on, they quickly took care of the Bruins and then they just defeated the Islanders in 6 games. Tampa Bay has been led by Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov leads the team in playoff scoring with 26 points while Point is next with 25, but he played two less games. Hedman has been stellar all playoffs with 15 points but the most impressive thing is he is averaging almost 27 minutes of ice a game. Andrei Vasilevskiy has played well in goal and Tampa Bay should be in every game.
Looking at the Conn Smyth picture, unless there are some drastic changes, I only see a total of 5 players who can win it. Those players are Miro Heiskanen, Anton Khudobin, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, and Nikita Kucherov. If Dallas wins the series though, I would have to think I would go with Khudobin. Heiskanen has been phenomenal all postseason but Khudobin has been so good and has made big saves at the right time. For Tampa, those three players are really close. If they were to win the series, that would be tough decision to make. I do think Hedman has made the biggest impact for the team but a strong series from Point or Kucherov could see one of them lifting the trophy for the postseason most valuable player.
Victor Hedman (photo Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
I expect this to be a low scoring series and the games to come down to key bounces. Tampa Bay has more talent on their roster, but Dallas has embraced the underdog role and they are playing with a tremendous amount of confidence right now. With a strong series from Khudobin, Dallas could end up lifting the cup. Tampa should play exceptional defense and their star players could take over the series. I think Dallas is playing too well right now and the puck luck has been their side and I am taking them to win the series.
With the NHL playoffs well under way, it has been a dream for any sports fan. The games have all been phenomenal so far. The intensity has been at a high level and the players are once again showing why the Stanley Cup is toughest trophy to win in sports. There have been overtimes, fights, and plenty of upsets. More importantly, the NHL in coordination with the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto have done a tremendous job of keeping players safe.
As round one concluded on Friday night, it certainly provided some memorable moments. After the conclusion of the first round, there are now only four teams remaining in each conference.
Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars
After dominating the Arizona Coyotes in 5 games in the first round, the Avalanche are going to have a much tougher task on their hands when they take on the Dallas Stars. Dallas had an eventful series against Calgary that saw them winning in 6 games. That series was highlighted by Denis Gurianov’s legendary 4 goal performance in the series clinching game.
The Stars took it to the Avalanche scoring 10 goals in the first two games for 5-2 and 5-3 wins. Alexander Radulov has found the back of the net 3 times.
Although history doesn’t matter in the postseason, it is worth noting that the Stars swept the Avalanche 4-0 in the regular season. The Avs did avenge those losses by shutting them out 4-0 in round robin play. Both teams pride their selves on defense, but Colorado has a much stronger scoring punch. If Dallas wants to have a chance in this series it is going to come down to whether or not they can stop the Avalanche first line of Landeskog, Mackinnon and Rantanen. This line has the ability to takeover a series but Dallas is going to rely on one of its top defensive pairings that are headlined by Miro Heiskanen and John Klinberg. Dallas is going to want to clog the shooting lanes and force shots from the outside. Keeping the puck out of the net should not be an issue for the Stars, but for them to win the series, someone is going to need to keep the offense going.
The Avs have a hill to climb and the Stars’ Benn, Seguin, Radulov line does not look like they will be slowing down. But look for the Avs to push they will not lay down.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Vancouver Canucks
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In one of the biggest upsets in the first round, the Vancouver Canucks advance to play Vegas after knocking off the defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues. The Canucks were able to advance by stellar goaltending from Jacob Markström. Vegas beat the Chicago Blackhawks in 5 games and were the better team in every single part of the game. This young Vancouver team was able to overcome blowing a 2-0 series lead by winning games 5 and 6 and ending the series.
This series is going to feature a lot of skill and the potential is there for some high scoring games. After knocking off the defending champs in the first round, Vancouver is essentially playing with house money at this point. Quinn Hughes is making teams that passed on him on draft day regret it as he is on a crazy run right now. If Markström can keep playing at the level he has throughout the playoffs so far, Vancouver has the potential to be in this series from the start and have a chance to move on. Markström start was not what the Canucks were looking for as the Knights lead the series 1-0 as they jumped on the Canucks for a 5-0 blowout in the series opener.
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The Golden Knights are going to look to rely on their defense structure and not let Vancouver open the game up. At least to start, I do not expect them to take many chances. Instead, they are going to stay within their systems and try to win that way. Goaltender Robin Lehner had a good series against Chicago, and he is going to need to do that again.
I do expect this to be a good series, but I think Vegas is just going to be too much for the young Vancouver team. If Vancouver is going to win this series, they will need a strong goaltending performance and to win the special teams battle. I do expect the Canucks to steal one game in this series, but I do not see them winning it.
Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Islanders
Moving back to the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Flyers are taking on the New York Islanders in what should be a great defensive battle. The Flyers took down the Canadiens in 6 games in a series that was much closer than many expected. The Islanders advanced after defeating the Capitals in 5 games and they were the better team throughout.
This should be a low scoring series overall as these teams like to focus on defense and not giving up leads. The Isles did open up in game one winning 4-0. In the first series, if the Flyers had the lead, they would clog up the neutral zone and make it difficult for their opponent to get pucks deep and create scoring opportunities. The Islanders were able to overcome that in game one. The Flyers were able to advance despite limited production from their top scorers. That is going to have to change for them to beat the stingy Islanders. Carter Hart has been tremendous in goal for the Flyers so far and he is going to have to keep that up because there will not be room for mistakes in this series.
The Islanders are also a defense first team. They will not take chances and they will rely on Semyon Varlamov to make saves for them. Despite having trouble scoring goals in the second half of the season, has not been an issue so far in the playoffs. So far, they are playing a good team game and could arguably be playing the as the best team in the league right now. Throughout this year’s postseason, the Isles have relied on a balance of scoring contributions from players like Matthew Barzal, Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
This should be a fast, physical series and every game should be close. The biggest question is going to be which team can find ways to score. Although that sounds cliché, the Flyers had trouble scoring in the first round, and the Islanders have been plagued by goal scoring issues all season. This series does have the potential to go the distance, but the Islanders are playing too well for that to happen.
Prediction: New York Islanders in 6
Boston Bruins vs Tampa Bay Lightning
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In what many hoped would be the Eastern Conference finals, these two teams will face off in a much-anticipated semi-finals matchup. The Bruins defeated the Hurricanes in 5 games, but the series was much closer than the final result indicated. Tampa Bay defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in 5 games but required overtime in 2 of the games.
Despite Tampa Bay beating Columbus in 5 games, they did not look great in the series. Some of that could have been fatigue from the 5-overtime win in game 1, but they will need a better team effort to beat the Bruins. Led by Vezina finalist Andrei Vasilevsky, the Lightning will look to use their speed to beat the Bruins. The Lightning will look to get back to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.
The Bruins lead the series 1-0. In game one the Lightning, often slow starters, got behind early as Charlie Coyle scored on the power play. Victor Hedman for the Lightning took an early penalty setting up the Coyle goal less than two minutes in. The Bruins scored two more goals, one in the next two periods to take what would like a commanding lead. The Lightning made it interesting with Hedman scoring twice, once even strength and then with the net empty with 1:14 left. Too little too late, as time expired.
The biggest storyline surrounding the Bruins has been the opt out of Vezina Finalist and former Stanley Cup champion, Tuukka Rask. He left the bubble to be with his family. There are bigger things than sports and the Bruins are going to try to rally for their winningest goalie in franchise history. Taking over in goal has been journeyman Jaroslav Halak. Despite being a backup, he has been great in the regular season and thus far in the playoffs. The Bruins have a tremendous amount of post season experience and that can be the x-factor in this series.
This series is going to be a battle and I would not be shocked if it goes 7 games. I expect this to be the best series of this round. This Lightning team probably has more skill but that does not mean anything come NHL playoffs. Boston is going to look to frustrate them and get under their skin. I expect this to be a great battle and continue to show why the Stanley Cup is the toughest trophy to win in sports. I just think the physicality and experience of the Bruins will show.
Andrei Vasilevskiy notched his 11th shutout of the season on Thursday night as the Lightning defeated the Canadians on home ice by the score of 4-0. He made big stops all night and got scoring contributions early in the first period on goals by Braydon Point and Nikita Kucherov.
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“I didn’t play well the past few games, so it feels pretty good to get the shutout,” said Vasilevskiy, “But we played well defensively and we did a great job.’’ He made 32 saves on the night.
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The Lightning got on the board early as Victor Hedman gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 49 seconds of the first period with a blast from the high slot. It was his first goal in 32 games.
“[Hedman is] a world-class defenseman, I think he’s the best in the League,” Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev said. “He does everything well. 5-on-5, 4-on-5, 5-on-4, he’s just a rock. It’s great to have a player like that on the team.”
Alex Killorn also got the Bolts on the board in the 1st period with his 25th goal of the season. Killorn now has a career season high in points with 47.
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“I think as you get older, you get more comfortable in the league, you find different ways to score,” Killorn said. “But it’s been going really well for me this year.”
“It seems like I’m just finding the right spots,” Killorn said, “and when I do get the opportunity, I’m making the most of it.”
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There was some question in the offseason if Killorn would be back with the team and thankfully for the club, he wasn’t moved. He has been as stable and consistent as any player on the team this year and has been a big reason for their success. It also helps when you have 3 guys that have scored 25 or more goals at this point with Steven Stamkos (29) and Nikita Kucherov(32). Kucherov also scored in the second period Thursday to put the Lightning up 3-0.
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The game got chippy late in the second period in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy’s net and continued after the second-period horn as a huge fight happened in the corner with the two main pugilists being Montreal’s Shea Webber and the Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev. They went toe- toe with each other until Weber missed with a wild right as Sergachev connected with a couple of his own rights as he fell on top of Weber.
The rough play continued in the third with the Lightning trying to limit the Canadian’s chances while trying to keep the shutout in tow. Vasilevskiy stopped 12 shots in the 3rd with Victor Hedman cranking a slapshot past Carey Price at 1:03 left in the game. Hedman’s second goal of the night made the score 4-0 and with it the fans hit the stairs to try to beat the traffic.
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Coach Cooper after the game “We asked them to be a little bit more responsible with the puck, [they] were tonight. The goalie was sharp. It’s another win for us. We’re not going to think too much about this one. We’ve got a tough three-game road trip ahead of us.”
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Game notes: Kucherov has 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 27 games against Montreal. … Vasilevskiy is 11-1-2 against the Canadiens. … Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk got his 300th NHL assist on Hedman’s second goal. Brayden Point had an assist and tied Chris Gratton for 13th on the Lightning points list (259).
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Next up for the Lightning: The aforementioned three-game road trip that starts on Saturday night against the Bruins at TD Garden at 7pm.
It was a special night on the bright stage of NBC Sports with real American heroes and the iconic Doc Emrick on the call. With stage set the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins put on a show that was worthy.
But before the Lightning and Penguins even went on stage, the real stars took center ice. It was a bigger event than the game, as the Lightning hosted 46 of the 70 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor in a pregame ceremony.
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The Lightning fell behind 2-1 after two periods but played inspired hockey in the third. With the real American heroes in attendance the Lightning did not disappoint as the game finished in dramatic fashion until the final horn.
It took the full 60 minutes to decide a winner as the Penguins made an attempt to tie the game as time in regulation expired. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy snared a laser shot with his trapper as time ran out. Although it was not immediate gratification as the decision defaulted to the oh so fun instant replay. “The puck did not cross the goal line,” which sent the home crowd into victorious jubilation. 3-2 final.
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As it looked like overtime was imminent with just 2:05 remaining As Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel took a hooking penalty which set up the Lightning to pounce.
A pretty power-play goal on a one-timer off the stick of Victor Hedman and the Lightning took a 3-2 lead. A hold in by Tyler Johnson and neat passing between Johnson and Steven Stamkos set up Hedman for the one-time blast from the point which went by Pens net-minder Tristan Jarry aided by an Ondrej Palat jumping screen.
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The Penguins with the extra skater would not go quietly into the Tampa night as Andrei Vasilevskiy had to make a somewhat remarkable glove save as time expired.
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The Lightning got on the board in the first when Alex Killorn deflected a Nikita Kucherov shot between the legs of Tristan Jarry for the early 1-0 lead which the Lightning took to the first intermission.
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The Penguins got two goals in the second 20 minutes for a 2-1 lead which would make for an outstanding third period.
The Lightning tied the game by the fourth line grinding when on the fore-check Luke Witkowski came up with a loose puck below the goal. Witkowski delivered a nice feed to Ryan McDonagh as Witkowski was leveled by Jack Johnson. McDonagh put the puck towards the net and it was deflected into the cage by Ondrej Palat.
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The dramatic victory gave the Lightning their 10th and 11th points pushing their record to 5-3-1 on the season.
The Lightning stay home to host Nashville Saturday Night.
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced a new multi-year partnership with Cigar City Brewing today. The new deal makes Cigar City the Official Craft Beer Partner of the Lightning and AMALIE Arena. The partnership also includes the opening of The Cigar City Brewing Taproom off the arena plaza.
“The Lightning are excited to add Cigar City Brewing to our growing list of best-in-brand partners,” Chief Executive Officer Steve Griggs said. “We are thrilled to integrate an iconic Tampa brand into the fan experience at AMALIE Arena, and we are looking forward to making The Cigar City Brewing Taproom a signature downtown destination for
Tampa residents and visitors, alike.” The Cigar City Brewing Taproom will open during the 2019-20 season underneath the Pam Iorio Parking Garage adjacent to the plaza. The Tampa residents and visitors, alike.”
The Cigar City Brewing Taproom will open during the 2019-20 season underneath the Pam Iorio Parking Garage adjacent to the plaza. The Taproom represents a new food and beverage option for arena guests and will be open on both event and select non-event days. Extending onto the plaza, the Cigar City Brewing Taproom will create an authentic Tampa setting, enhancing the pre and post-event experience for AMALIE Arena visitors. In addition, Cigar City beers Jai Alai, Guayabera, and Florida Cracker will be available for sale throughout AMALIE Arena, as well as on tap at the Cigar City club level bar located at section 211/212.
“Cigar City Brewing is proud to become the Official Craft Beer Partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and AMALIE Arena,” Cigar City Brewing Chief Operating Officer Justin Clark said. “We will work together to contribute to the Tampa Bay community and elevate the fan experience at AMALIE Arena. Not only do we look at the Lightning as a pillar of our Tampa community, we know how respected they are around the world. Their contributions to the community reach far beyond sports entertainment and we are excited to contribute to their success.”
Additionally, the Hunahpu’s Beer Festival, one of the premier craft beer events in the United States, will be moving to AMALIE Arena on March 13th, 2020. The festival will mark the 11th anniversary of the event in Tampa, Florida, and the first at AMALIE Arena. The festival is a one-day celebration of Cigar City Brewing’s Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, which is only released once a year. More details on the Hunahpu’s Beer Festival event at AMALIE Arena will be announced at a later date. ~
TAMPA FLA. — The Tampa Bay Lightning will be hosting the third annual Bolts Brew Fest at AMALIE Arena on Friday, August 16, beginning at 7 p.m. The three-hour event will offer craft beers from a variety of different local craft breweries, vendors, oversized games and more. General Admission tickets include unlimited beer sampling of more than 200 craft beers from 50 different local and national breweries. Craft beer enthusiasts can also purchase a VIP Admission ticket which will allow them access into the event one hour prior to general admission. VIP includes unlimited beer sampling, early entry from 6-7 p.m. for an extra hour of sampling without the crowds, access to AMALIE Arena’s Lexus Lounge featuring exclusive VIP-only beer and food, a Lightning experience and one complimentary ticket voucher for a Bolts pre-season game. Tickets are on-sale now by visiting www.TampaBayLightning.com/BrewFest.
Tampa, Fla. — Tyler Johnson returned to action for the Lightning on Wednesday night as the Bolts notched their first loss of the season, falling 4-1 to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Lightning dominated the first period but missed opportunities set the tone for the night. Tampa outshot the Canucks 17 to five in the first and played four minutes with a man advantage.
“We’ve got to finish, we’re just not finishing,” Head coach Jon Cooper said. “We’re shooting some pucks at the net but we’re not going there with a desire to score and that’s what you have to do in this league. Especially with the goaltending the way it is. These are NHL goalies, you have to go in there and get the dirty ones.”
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A couple of open one timers from the Bolts’ rookie Mathieu Joseph and captain Steven Stamkos were sent wide, and Brayden Point was stonewalled on a beautiful wrist shot from just outside the crease early.
The Bolts’offensive pressure couldn’t be contained for long, despite Vancouver goaltender Anders Nilsson’s best efforts, as Point made up for his missed opportunity by burying the game’s opening goal with just over three minutes left in the first period.
Point’s goal was his first of the season and came on assists from Yanni Gourde and Braydon Coburn.
The Lightning continued their walk past the Canucks into the second, but this time it came in different fashion. The Bolts put just eight shots on goal compared to the Canucks’ even 10 in the period but Tampa controlled the pace of play with the exception of a brief penalty kill early and a three minute series in which the Bolts’ gave the Canucks 37 seconds with a two-man advantage between penalties to Ryan McDonagh and Anthony Cirelli.
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Despite the Canucks sending men to the penalty box on three separate minors in the second, Tampa again failed to convert and the second period ended with the Lightning still leading 1-0.
The Bolts would actually fail to convert on any of their five power play opportunities in the game.
“The power play was probably the worst I’ve seen in a long time today,” Stamkos said. “The good thing is, we get a chance to improve it because it cost us the game.”
Tampa was a shell of their former selves in the third. At no point in the game had the Bolts looked great but at least they looked better than Vancouver.
The Canucks held Tampa without a shot for more than three minutes to start the period and forced the Bolts to play on their heels, not allowing them to control the puck.
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With 9:53 remaining in regulation Vancouver broke through when Elias Petterson deflected a rocket from Derrick Pouliot past Andrei Vasilevskiy for the game-tying goal.
Just 70 seconds later, on the Canucks next shot, Brock Boeser lit the lamp again for Vancouver and in a snap they had taken the lead.
Two empty net goals from Jake Virtanen and Markus Granlund in the final 75 seconds sealed a win for Vancouver and capped a phenomenal night from their goaltender, Anders Nilsson, who saved 33 of the 34 shots Tampa put on net.
“We came out with a lot of energy, came out skating, which was something we focused on,” Stamkos said. “But it’s a complete game. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish and they finished better than we did.
* – A player receives a “plus” if he is on the ice when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthand goal. He receives a “minus” if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthand goal scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the player’s plus-minus statistic.
* – A player receives a “plus” if he is on the ice when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthand goal. He receives a “minus” if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthand goal scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the player’s plus-minus statistic.
