The unseasonably cold Florida weather was probably a sign that the 2026 NHL Stadium Series would be anything but usual.
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins delivered in 40-degree weather at Raymond James Stadium with a wild, back-and-forth game that featured a goalie fight and a 6-5 shootout win for the home team.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel set an outdoor game record by scoring 11 seconds into the game. The Bruins shook that off by scoring five goals against Andrei Vasilevskiy, one of the best goalie in the league.
But Boston self-destructed, falling into penalty trouble and giving up three power-play goals as Tampa Bay pulled to within 5-4 by the end of the second period.
Some of those penalty minutes went to Vasilevskiy and Swayman, who dropped the gloves and gave the NHL its second goalie fight in two weeks after none in the past six years.
Nikita Kucherov completed the comeback with a third-period goal that gave him four points, one short of the outdoor game record set by the New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad at last month’s Winter Classic.
Tampa Bay had never come back from a four-goal deficit to win and Jake Guentzel made that happen with a shootout goal against future U.S. Olympic teammate Swayman.
The only drawback for the Lightning was losing Anthony Cirelli in a game in which captain Victor Hedman returned from elbow surgery.
Tampa Bay, which has 17 wins in its last 19 games, moved into the Eastern Conference lead with the Olympic break approaching. The Bruins lost for only the third time in their last 13 games in the ultracompetitive Atlantic Division.
USA TODAY provided live updates from the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins Stadium Series game. Here are game highlights:
This is the first time in franchise history that the Lightning have come back from a four-goal deficit to win a game. Goalie combatants Jeremy Swayman and Andrei Vasilevskiy share a laugh in the handshake line.
Jake Guentzel scores for Tampa Bay and David Pastrnak hits the post. Lightning win 6-5.
Nikita Kucherov and Fraser Minten are stopped.
Gage Goncalves and Casey Mittelstadt are stopped.
Boston is short-handed again with Hampus Lindholm in the penalty box. Jeremy Swayman stops Brandon Hagel with half a second left. And we’re going to a shootout.
David Pastrnak called for slashing. Nikita Kucherov hits the post. Boston kills penalty.
Not sure why play was allowed to continue.
5-5.
We’re heading to overtime. Nikita Kucherov forced it with a goal, his fourth point of the game.
His one-timer ties the game with 8:10 left in the third period. That’s four points for him. Lightning 5, Bruins 5
Still 5-4 Boston. Only seven shots so far in this period.
The Lightning announce that Anthony Cirelli will not return to the game. He was hit by Mark Kastelic in the first period. He has been named to Team Canada.
5-4 Bruins. Anyone’s game. Bruins will have to stay out of the penalty box.
What a wild period. It looked like the Bruins were going to make this a blowout and then they got into penalty trouble. Tampa Bay scores three power play goals in that period. Plus we had a goalie fight between Jeremy Swayman and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel are up to three points in the game, as is Boston’s Morgan Geekie.
The Bruins keep taking penalties and the Lightning connect. First it’s Darren Raddysh, then it’s Nick Paul 23 seconds later. Both on the power play. Bruins 5, Lightning 4
Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman gets another penalty, this time for putting the puck over the glass. And now it’s 5-on-3 for 1:48 as Tanner Jeannot goes to the penalty box.
Boston kills the penalty to Mark Kastelic.
Jeremy Swayman goes after Brandon Hagel in a scrum. Andrei Vasilevskiy skates down the ice. Swayman sees him and goes out to confront him. Each gets five minutes for fighting and two minutes for leaving the crease.
Mark Kastelic heads to the penalty box for roughing. Tampa Bay back immediately on the power play.
He puts in a loose puck for a power play goal that cuts the Lightning to three goals. Things get feisty afterward as Lightning players go after Mark Kastelic, who roughed Jake Guentzel.
Charlie McAvoy is called for roughing. Needless to say, the Lightning need to score here.
David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie come down the ice on a 2-on-1. Not much the Lightning can do to stop that. That’s 32 goals for Geekie. Bruins 5, Lightning 1
He’s skating down the slot and backhands a shot over Andrei Vasilevskiy’s shoulder. Poitras was just called up and that’s his first goal of the year. Bruins 4, Lightning 1
The Lightning forward isn’t on the bench to start the second period. He was hit by Boston’s Mark Kastelic late in the first period.
3-1 Bruins.
Lightning captain Victor Hedman played 4:25 in the first period in his return from a 22-game injury absence. He had one shot. He told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan that his legs feel good but he needs to work on his timing with his hands.
Outdoor games also give NHL coaches a chance to wear something different. Lightning coach Jon Cooper chose a white suit and hat with an open red shirt and a gold chain.
The Bruins gave up a Brandon Hagel goal 11 seconds into the game then went to work. They dominated that period, outshooting Tampa Bay 20-8. After Alex Steeves tied the game, the Bruins went ahead on tip-in goals by Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson. Charlie McAvoy took the shots that were tipped.
Nice tip on the power play by Viktor Arvidsson. Charlie McAvoy picks up his second assist of the game and Morgan Geekie gets his second point. Bruins 3, Lightning 1
Jake Guentzel is called for tripping. Bruins are 0-for-2 so far on the power play.
Charlie McAvoy throws a puck toward the net and Morgan Geekie tips it in. That’s 31 goals for Geekie. Bruins 2, Lightning 1
Alex Steeves is in the slot and rips a shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy after getting a pass from Mikey Eyssimont. Lightning 1, Bruins 1
Pontus Holmberg is called for tripping David Pastrnak. NHL rookie of the month Fraser Minten is getting time on the top unit because Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm are out with injuries. Tampa Bay kills it off.
Dominic James is called for high-sticking. Charlie McAvoy goes down but is fine. He’s wearing a shield from his earlier broken jaw. The Boston power play doesn’t last long because Viktor Arvidsson is called for tripping five seconds in. It’s 4-on-4.
Brandon Hagel gets the goal, set up by Nikita Kucherov. It sets an outdoor record. Pittsburgh’s Colby Armstrong had held the record of 21 seconds in the inaugural Winter Classic in 2008. 1-0 Lightning.
Lightning vs. Bruins
The Stadium Series game between the Lightning and Bruins is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 1.
The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Buccaneers.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
The game can be streamed on Fubo. An ASL broadcast will be on ESPN+.
It’s expected to be 42 degrees at puck drop and could drop to 38 by game’s end.
Players are walking toward the rink. It’s 41 degrees out.
The Anthony Cirelli line is scheduled to start.
The Minten line is scheduled to start.
Boston’s Jeremy Swayman vs. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Bruins are 4-1 in outdoor games, going 3-1 in the Winter Classic and winning the game played next to next Tahoe. The Lightning are 1-0, winning in Nashville in 2022.
Brandon Hagel, talking about teammate Nikita Kucherov, dropped an F-bomb in his description before realizing what he said. “My language just goes to prove how good this guy is,” he said.
Lightning captain Victor Hedman has been activated from the injured list after missing 22 games following a procedure on his elbow. He missed 12 games earlier in the season. This will be his fourth game since Nov. 8. Hedman will also play for Sweden in the Olympics.
Outdoor games give NHL players a chance to wear coordinated outfits, from the Flyers dressing as Rocky to players wearing baseball uniforms to the Blue Jackets paying tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau.
So what did the Bruins and Lightning wear on Sunday as they arrived?
The Bruins dressed as patriots (not the football team), complete with colonial-era tri-corner hats.
And the Lightning did wear football gear, dressing in throwback creamsicle Buccaneers uniforms that the Tampa football team wears in Raymond James Stadium. Buccaneers players Baker Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs led the way.
“The obvious would have been pirates, obviously, with Gasparilla weekend,” Lightning captain Victor Hedman told reporters. “But we get to use their stadium, so we wanted to return the favor.”
The Bruins and Lightning practiced on Saturday while the rink was still inside the tent. One player from each side had a negative review.
“It’s real soft,” Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said, according to WEEI. “Obviously we get it after they practiced on it. I don’t know how many people skated on it before, but yeah, it’s not great.”
Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov agreed, according to the Tampa Bay Times: “It’s fun, but the ice? Man, come on. You can’t do Formula 1 in the (expletive) dirt, you know?”
Lightning team owner Jeff Vinik was schedules to miss Sunday’s game because he suffered a “major leg fracture” when he was snowmobiling during a recent vacation with his children.
“He is currently under the care of exceptional medical professionals and is expected to make a full recovery,” Vinik Sports Group said in a statement last week. “While we are grateful he is doing well, the extent of the injury means he will unfortunately be unable to attend the Stadium Series game on Sunday.”
Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.
Hockey News