Bucs and Bruins Collide at Stadium Series Game

Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins arrive at outdoor hockey game in football-themed uniforms

Feb. 1, 2026 at 5:55pm

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The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins arrived at Raymond James Stadium for their Stadium Series outdoor hockey game on Sunday in creative football-themed uniforms. The Lightning players showed up in throwback Tampa Bay Buccaneers jerseys, with Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield leading the procession. The Bruins opted for 17th and 18th century patriot costumes, tying into the New England Patriots NFL team. The unique entrances were a hit with fans, who packed the stadium for the 45th outdoor game in NHL history.

Why it matters

The Stadium Series game is a marquee outdoor event for the NHL, showcasing the league's ability to stage spectacles that blend hockey with other sports and local culture. The creative uniform choices by both teams helped generate buzz and excitement around the game, appealing to fans of the local NFL franchises as well.

The details

The Lightning players decided against going with a pirate theme, despite the ongoing Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, and instead paid homage to the hometown Buccaneers. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield, who has been a regular at Lightning games, led the team's entrance while wearing a Lightning jersey. The Bruins opted for patriot costumes to connect with Boston's historical roots and the New England Patriots NFL team.

  • The Stadium Series game took place on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
  • The Gasparilla Pirate Festival was happening in Tampa Bay that same weekend.

The players

Victor Hedman

Captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Baker Mayfield

Quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tristan Wirfs

Offensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ryan McDonagh

Defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nikita Zadorov

Defenseman for the Boston Bruins.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, a lot of guys are friends with them. We support each other. This is such a great sports town. All the teams here support each other and have relationships with one another. A couple guys texted him, threw the idea out to him, and he said, 'No problem. Let me just get back from the Bahamas.' It meant the world to us that those guys wanted to lead us in.”

— Ryan McDonagh, Defenseman, Tampa Bay Lightning (nytimes.com)

“Bring something Bostonian tied to Boston. Boston is known as a really historical city in the United States. So we decided to dress up as patriots from the 17th and 16th century, giving respect to the Founding Fathers of America. Also it's good ties to our football team. We're at a football stadium. So I thought it played out pretty well.”

— Nikita Zadorov, Defenseman, Boston Bruins (nytimes.com)

“I thought they looked pretty good. They put a lot of work in over the last couple weeks there. They had a lot of guys coming to the rink in between games to get fitted. I think they look pretty sharp today.”

— Marco Sturm, Head Coach, Boston Bruins (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The Stadium Series game will be followed by the Super Bowl next Sunday, where the New England Patriots will be playing.

The takeaway

The creative uniform choices by the Lightning and Bruins helped generate excitement and buzz around the Stadium Series outdoor hockey game, blending the local sports culture and rivalries in a unique way that appealed to fans of both the NHL and NFL teams.