The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning added flair to their 2026 NHL Stadium Series matchup by arriving in historical themed outfits at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Bruins dressed as Revolutionary War-era patriots, while the Lightning honored the local NFL team with Buccaneers uniforms. The game, set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, pits two Atlantic Division powerhouses against each other.
The 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series features the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Buccaneers, on Sunday, February 1. This marks the Lightning's first outdoor NHL game and the Bruins' sixth, with Boston holding a 4-1 record in previous outdoor contests.
Both teams arrived in creative outfits, continuing a tradition for NHL outdoor events. The Lightning donned the Buccaneers' iconic orange "creamsicle" uniforms from 1976 to 1996, complete with white striped helmets featuring the pirate logo. They arrived via trolley, joined by Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield in a Lightning jersey and tackle Tristan Wirfs carrying a 1990s-era boombox while wearing a black throwback Lightning jersey. Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said, "It meant the world to us that those guys wanted to lead us in." Captain Victor Hedman added, "The obvious would have been pirates with Gasparilla weekend. We get to use [the Buccaneers'] stadium so we want to return the favor."
The Bruins channeled Boston's revolutionary history, wearing topcoats, breeches, knee-high socks, and tricorn hats, nodding to the New England Patriots ahead of their Super Bowl. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov explained, "The idea behind it was kind of bring something Bostonian. Obviously, Boston is a really historical city." Coach Marco Sturm noted, "They put a lot of work in there the past couple of weeks ... I think they look pretty sharp today."
On the ice, the Lightning (34-14-4) lead the Atlantic Division and welcome back Hedman after elbow surgery. Forward Nikita Kucherov tops the team with 82 points. The Bruins (32-20-3) are on a 10-1-1 run in their last 12 games but miss forwards Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha due to injury. Jeremy Swayman starts in net, facing Andrei Vasilevskiy. David Pastrnak, named the NHL's second star for January with 25 points, leads Boston with 69 points this season.
Pregame festivities included a fan fest with Stanley Cup photos and street hockey, plus the ninth Travis Roy Hockey Classic raising funds for spinal cord injury support. Weather forecasts predict a high of 51 degrees Fahrenheit with winds up to 30 mph and a 25% chance of rain.