It was a night to remember in Tampa Bay as Raymond James Stadium hosted an outdoor hockey game for the 2026 NHL Stadium Series. The freezing temperatures and rowdy fanbases made for a true hockey environment and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Michael Hunt said, “I took my son and my brother, and we went to the Nashville game and we thought wherever the Lightning go outdoors next, that’s where we’re going, and that’s what we ended up doing. I never thought this would happen, and I grew up in Tampa, my kids play hockey and you hear a lot of the kids, they play outside. I never had that opportunity, but to see it and now to be a part of it is pretty cool.” When the puck was first dropped, the players were very juiced up to get on the ice with Brandon Hagel scoring the fastest outdoor goal in NHL history in 11 seconds.After this goal, it became Boston’s game as the Bruins scored three goals in a span of seven minutes. If you remember the Winter Classic in Miami, there were a lot of goals that happened again in the Stadium Series, and ultimately, this one was decided by a shootout, where Andrei Vasilevskiy shut the door for the Bolts.This might only count as a regular-season game, but no matter the score, this is a colossal win for the entire sport of hockey.Tampa Bay Lightning player Jake Guentzel said, “Just for Tampa Bay, I think they’ve waited a long time for an outdoor game. This is a sports town, this is a hockey town and people have been talking about this for a long time. It was a special time to be a part of this, and I think it’s going to grow the game that much more.”That wraps up our coverage of the NHL Stadium Series, a smashing success for the sport, and perhaps the first of many major hockey events on the Gulf Coast.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

TAMPA, Fla. —

It was a night to remember in Tampa Bay as Raymond James Stadium hosted an outdoor hockey game for the 2026 NHL Stadium Series.

The freezing temperatures and rowdy fanbases made for a true hockey environment and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Michael Hunt said, “I took my son and my brother, and we went to the Nashville game and we thought wherever the Lightning go outdoors next, that’s where we’re going, and that’s what we ended up doing. I never thought this would happen, and I grew up in Tampa, my kids play hockey and you hear a lot of the kids, they play outside. I never had that opportunity, but to see it and now to be a part of it is pretty cool.”

When the puck was first dropped, the players were very juiced up to get on the ice with Brandon Hagel scoring the fastest outdoor goal in NHL history in 11 seconds.

After this goal, it became Boston’s game as the Bruins scored three goals in a span of seven minutes.

If you remember the Winter Classic in Miami, there were a lot of goals that happened again in the Stadium Series, and ultimately, this one was decided by a shootout, where Andrei Vasilevskiy shut the door for the Bolts.

This might only count as a regular-season game, but no matter the score, this is a colossal win for the entire sport of hockey.

Tampa Bay Lightning player Jake Guentzel said, “Just for Tampa Bay, I think they’ve waited a long time for an outdoor game. This is a sports town, this is a hockey town and people have been talking about this for a long time. It was a special time to be a part of this, and I think it’s going to grow the game that much more.”

That wraps up our coverage of the NHL Stadium Series, a smashing success for the sport, and perhaps the first of many major hockey events on the Gulf Coast.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.