Tampa Bay Moves to 3-0-0 as Stachowiak Puts Up Three Points, Bjorkstrand Nabs Game-Winner
TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning edged out the Carolina Hurricanes in a high-scoring preseason battle, winning 6-5 on Friday night at Benchmark International Arena. The victory pushes the Bolts’ perfect preseason record to 3-0-0, marking the first time the team has opened the exhibition schedule with three straight wins since the 2013-14 season. Attendance for the contest was 13,449.
Veteran Zemgus Girgensons set the pace early, scoring the first two goals of the game to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead. The forward, who played all 82 games last season, provided an immediate offensive spark.
The night belonged to a pair of newcomers, however, as Wojciech Stachowiak and Oliver Bjorkstrand delivered key performances. Stachowiak, playing in just his second preseason game after spending last season in the DEL, potted two goals and added an assist, earning the game’s First Star.
The deciding marker came from Bjorkstrand, who provided what proved to be the game-winning goal on the power play at 12:27 of the third period. The goal was assisted by Nikita Kucherov in his first preseason action of 2025. Kucherov now sits just six points shy of the 1,000 career point milestone as the regular season approaches.
Team and Player Highlights
The Lightning’s special teams were a difference-maker, converting 2-of-3 power-play opportunities while holding the Hurricanes scoreless on their three chances. In a statistical anomaly, the Bolts were outshot by the Hurricanes, 31-28, including a significant 14-7 deficit in the final period.
- Maxim Groshev, who played for AHL Syracuse last season, recorded a team-high four shots and scored his first goal of the preseason.
- Defenseman JJ Moser logged a team-high 26:03 of ice time and contributed an assist.
- 13 of the 18 Lightning skaters registered at least one point in the contest.
Looking Ahead
The Lightning have four games remaining in their preseason slate before the start of the regular season. Their next contest is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, when they travel to Orlando’s Kia Center to take on the Florida Panthers at 7:00 p.m. EST.
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (EST) |
| September 27 | vs. Nashville | 7:00pm |
| September 30 | vs. Florida (Kia Center) | 7:00pm |
| October 2 | vs. Florida | 7:00pm |
| October 4 | at Florida | 7:00pm |
READ :Lightning Strike Late To Topple Predators in Preseason Shootout
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