TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Stadium Series matchup at Raymond James Stadium will be remembered for much more than its 41-degree puck drop and “creamsicle” Buccaneer uniforms.
In a game that featured a rare goalie fight and a record-shattering opening goal, the Tampa Bay Lightning completed the greatest comeback in franchise history, overcoming a four-goal hole to defeat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout. RELATED: Stadium Series Skirmish: Tampa Bay’s Vasilevskiy Throws Them Down Against Boston’s Swayman
The evening started with a bang when Brandon Hagel scored just 11 seconds into the first period, setting a new record for the fastest goal in NHL outdoor game history. However, the momentum shifted violently toward Boston.
Despite losing Anthony Cirelli to an injury following a hit by Mark Kastelic, the Bruins dominated the opening frame. Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson helped propel Boston to a commanding 5-1 lead by the midway point of the second period.
The atmosphere turned electric during the second frame when a scrum involving Hagel led to a legendary showdown. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy skated the length of the ice to meet Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman at center ice. Both goalies dropped the gloves, earning five-minute fighting majors in a moment that sent the Tampa crowd into a frenzy.
That spark ignited the Lightning offense. Capitalizing on a series of Boston penalties, Tampa Bay roared back with three power-play goals in the second period from Oliver Bjorkstrand, Darren Raddysh, and Nick Paul. In the third, superstar Nikita Kucherov took over, blasting a one-timer to tie the game at 5-5 and recording his fourth point of the night.
After a scoreless overtime—which saw Kucherov hit the post and Swayman make a desperation save on Hagel in the final second—the game moved to a shootout. Jake Guentzel proved to be the hero, scoring the lone goal of the tiebreaker.
The victory was sealed when Boston’s David Pastrnak rang his attempt off the post.
In a show of sportsmanship that defied the intensity of their earlier brawl, Vasilevskiy and Swayman were seen sharing a laugh in the handshake line after the final whistle. The win moves the Lightning to a perfect 2-0 record in outdoor appearances, while the Bruins fell to 4-1-1.
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