Outdoor Hockey in Tampa? No Sweat!

By Joey Johnston

On a full-moon Sunday night at Raymond James Stadium, we were treated to the most-rare sporting event to ever hit the Tampa Bay area.

Once, they said it couldn’t be done. Outdoor hockey in Tampa? How? Why?

Well, it not only happened, but it left an unmistakable imprint. The Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series was magical. You hear that word a lot in sports — “magical’’ — but this was no cliche. In a world where every good game is described as an “instant classic,’’ that terminology also seemed appropriate.

It was pure magic. It was an instant classic. 

And it resulted in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 6-5 shootout victory against the Boston Bruins — the biggest rally (coming from four goals down) in the Lightning’s 2,799-game franchise history.

The experience was at least a decade in the making, the product of grit and determination by the Lightning, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, Tampa Sports Authority and NHL.

“All along, there were people questioning our sanity for attempting this,’’ NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.

What if it rains? What if it’s too hot and humid? 

Every possibility was accounted for, right down to the protective tent that allowed for safe construction of the ice rink. And the whole thing was perfectly executed — from start to finish.

Here are our top memories:

The Entrance: Dressing as Gasparilla pirates would have been predictable. But Lightning players were outfitted in the classic Tampa Bay Buccaneers creamsicle orange — complete with football pants and helmets — while being led into the stadium by Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield and offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs (the hype men). Meanwhile, the Bruins opted for 1776-style, dressing in full colonial patriot garb (complete with a few powdered wigs). Both sides should get extra points for creativity.

The Stadium Decor: The field (surrounding the rink) was beautifully decorated as a treasure map — including places such as Stanley Cup Point and Kucherov Cove — and it was meant to simulate the Bruins taking a seaside journey to challenge the Lightning. It was the perfect motif for a stadium that features its own pirate ship.

The Weather: The biggest story of all. It was Tampa’s coldest Feb. 1 since 1900, and the temperature at puck drop was 41.8 degrees. The protective tent was disassembled about 10 hours before originally expected. There was no problem keeping the ice in good shape. In fact, NHL officials had to heat the ice (to avoid cracking if it got too cold, an issue that definitely wasn’t predicted). Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wondered aloud if Bettman had waved some sort of magic wand to influence the favorable hockey weather.

The Off-Ice Experience: The Tampa Bay Sports Commission and WISE (Women in Sports and Events) hosted “Beyond The Blue Line,’’ the 20th in its “beyond’’ series that works alongside Tampa Bay’s major sporting events to bring together sporting officials for networking, mentoring, and behind-the-scenes education.

Starting Like Lightning: Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel produced a goal just 11 seconds into the game — the quickest score in the NHL’s 45 outdoor games.

Tim McGraw Concert: At the first-period intermission, three-time Grammy winner (and Nashville Predators super-fan) Tim McGraw held a mini-concert, giving the event some Super Bowl-flavored entertainment. By then, with everyone having a great time, fans could relate to some of McGraw’s most familiar lyrics when it came to the Stadium Series vibe (“I like it, I love it, I want some more of it.’’).

Goalie Fight: In the second period, Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Boston’s Jeremy Swayman dropped their gloves and met near the center line for some old-fashioned fistacuffs. You don’t see the net-minders engaging like this very often and it was fantastic hockey theatre. Give the decision to Vasy, who landed a decisive left jab. In keeping with the sport’s sensibilities, the two goalies shared an embrace after the game. 

Jon Cooper’s Style: You simply couldn’t get enough of Jon Cooper, who went full Tony Montana/Scarface) with his white Cuban-style suit, red shirt, gold chains, and white Panama fedora. It was a nod to Tampa’s Cuban culture and the Lightning coaching staff’s proclivity for visiting Ybor City to enjoy some Cuban cigars. True to form, Cooper was puffing on a celebratory stogie afterward, completing the perfect visual. But when the Bruins led 5-1, Cooper humorously admitted changing into a “hazmat suit.’’

Scoring For Charity: USF CEO for Athletics Rob Higgins, the TBSC’s former executive director who was instrumental in attracting the Stadium Series to Tampa, was honored as the Lightning’s Community Hero and presented with a $100,000 check for various charities (USF Health, USF Stampede for Women, Moffitt Cancer Center, Coaching Love and Coop’s Catch), plus another surprise gift of $100,000 for Moffitt.

The Finish: After the Lightning made it all the way back and forged a 5-5 third-period tie, there was a scoreless overtime, then a shootout. The Lightning got the winner on a score from Jake Guentzel. Afterward, Lightning players said the Vasilevskiy/Swayman fight produced a wake-up call. Meanwhile, the Bruins were victimized by some whistles that led to a pair of Lightning 5-on-3 goals. “Games like that don’t come around very often,’’ Cooper said. “It had everything. That one’s going to go in the memory bank. It was a special occasion.’’

Sunshine State Hockey: Will hockey flourish in Florida? Why is this question still being asked? The state has produced a participant in the last six Stanley Cup Finals. In a one-month span, the league attracted 100,770 fans for the two Florida outdoor games (36,153 at the Winter Classic in Miami, 64,617 for the Stadium Series in Tampa). 

“The first time I went to a Lightning game was at the Fairgrounds,’’ Bettman told ESPN. “Bleacher seating. The players were stretching in the parking lot. And I wondered what I had gotten myself into. 

“You look at this Lightning franchise today … it’s remarkable. In the last 10 years, they’ve had more regular-season wins and more playoff wins than any other team, and their arena has hosted more fans (more than 7-million) over any other facility in the world for hockey.’’

And now the Lightning has hosted a Stadium Series for the ages.

They said it couldn’t be done.

Well, it was done in unforgettable fashion.

Pure magic.

Instant classic.

It was all of that — and so much more.