Lightning Strikes; Takes First Stadium Series Win

TB Lightning wins an outdoor game against Nashville.

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Photo RHSToday Staff

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Izzy Rivers, Staff Writer

Saturday, February 26, the Tampa Bay Lightning went against the Nashville Predators for their first-ever outdoor game. The game was held at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, in Music City with a shocking crowd of 68,619 fans showing.

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The Stadium Series in the National Hockey League (NHL) is an outdoor game held during the normal season. The first-ever NHL Stadium Series game was held in 2014 and continues each year.

Arriving in Nashville, the Lightning players pulled off a county look wearing denim jeans, a jacket and a cowboy hat. The Predators were sure to coordinate with the style showoff, having all players wear a more rock n’ roll-themed outfit. The outfit consisted of black hats, customized leather jackets and black pants.

Before the game started, American country-pop singer-songwriter Jessie James Decker performed the U.S. National Anthem. A color guard of five Vanderbilt University ROTC members joined Decker on stage during the anthem

Despite the nearly freezing temperature of 41 degrees, the players were ready to start the game. Scoring the game-opening point, Nashville’s Tanner Jeannot scores 8:20 into the first period of the game, after receiving a power play.

During the first intermission, country music stars Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley performed songs solo, then performed together towards the end of the intermission. After the show, fans were roaring and ready to continue the game.

Continuing the second period, Brayden Point scores the first goal for Tampa at 0:58, making Lightning history. This was the first goal ever scored by the Tampa Bay Lightning at an outdoor game, as this was their first-ever outdoor game. Soon after Points’ goal, Nikita Kucherov earns a second goal for the Lightning at 6:18.

Midway through the third and final period, captain Steven Stamkos of the Lightning scores at 11:30. Nashville responds with a goal by Filip Forsberg at 12:19, leaving the score at 3-2, Lightning.