Niam Patel is a member of the NHL Power Players Youth Advisory Board, an initiative focused on selecting young hockey fans to help advise the League on hockey-related topics important to their generation. They have the opportunity to have their voices heard directly by the NHL, learn about the business side of sports and develop lasting friendships with board members.
The 14-year-old from Tampa, Florida, is a freshman at Tampa Preparatory School and a big Lightning fan. He had the opportunity to be on the scene for the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series, when Tampa Bay defeated the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
He wrote a story for NHL.com about his experience.
TAMPA -- Under the lights in the freezing cold temperatures, one of the greatest outdoor hockey games of all time played out between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. With Gasparilla’s pirate energy colliding with unexpected snow flurries and record-low temperatures, the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series became an instant classic. What once felt like an impossible and unimaginable task became reality as Tampa hosted its first ever outdoor hockey game at Raymond James Stadium for one of the most electric open-air games fans ever witnessed.
As a member of the NHL Power Players Youth Advisory Board, I had the chance to experience it all up close. Fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins sold out upwards of 64,000 seats, soaking in the cold weather and cheering nonstop. Between a goalie fight, a four-goal comeback, a shootout, and the Gasparilla theme, the event became more than a game, transforming into an experience you could not miss.
The NHL Pregame was the start of what would become a special and unforgettable day. I was able to take a picture with the Stanley Cup, along with its keeper, Phil Pritchard, which was one of the many once-in-a-lifetime experiences that occurred on Sunday. With live music, a human claw machine, and tons of fun, interactive hockey activities, I could not have asked for a better start to the day.
The players arrived at Raymond James Stadium dressed for the occasion with the Bruins wearing signature American Revolutionary outfits and the Lightning suiting up in “Creamsicle” Tampa Bay Buccaneers jerseys, in full pads. As the sun started to set and temperatures began to drop, fans rushed into the stadium, trying to see as much outdoor hockey as possible, beginning with warmups. As the players came out of their locker rooms, the Power Players were granted special access to be on the field, getting a chance to see the players up close. Both teams were dressed for the weather, wearing beanies and custom equipment for the game.
The big question that everyone asked was: “How will the ice hold up under the Florida sun?” With the game only being the second outdoor game ever held in Florida and the first one with a completely open roof, keeping the ice frozen was a major concern. The NHL had to design a tent over the ice on the field that would keep the ice cooled before puck drop. Around midnight before the start of the game, the NHL began a grueling, 10-hour process to take down the tent, subsequently leaving the ice exposed to what they thought was the Tampa heat.
The original concern over keeping the ice frozen turned into, “How can we keep the ice warm enough?” The temperatures were so much colder than expected, dropping into the low 30s, that they actually had to heat up the ice to stop it from cracking. The NHL executed this process to perfection as the ice looked pristine when the players took their first strides on it Sunday night.
Warmups concluded, and we headed back to our seats, poised for the imminent puck drop. The lights dimmed, music subsided, and the Gasparilla theme took over, with pirates reading scripts and treasure chests illuminating the field. The players then walked out on a trail lit up with ancient torches, goalies leading the way.
The crowd was buzzing and ready to watch their home team, with expectations high due to Tampa Bay's hot streak, having won 16 of their previous 18 games.
The puck finally dropped, and the Lightning blew the roof off Raymond James Stadium before people could even take to their seats, with Brandon Hagel scoring just 11 seconds into the Atlantic Division tilt. After that, Tampa seemed to disappear with Boston taking complete control of the game, scoring five straight unanswered goals, silencing the rowdy home fans. What was looking like a blowout took a drastic turn when the goalies from both teams, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jeremy Swayman, dropped their gloves, removed their masks, and got into an ultra-rare goalie fight. The Lightning seized the momentum after that, creating scoring chances after scoring chances, ultimately scoring two more goals to end the second period, flipping the script into a one-score game.
The third period began with lots of chances for both teams, but no goals were produced until the back-to-back Art Ross Trophy Winner stepped onto the ice midway into the third period. Nikita Kucherov blasted home a one-timer, tying the game up and sending it to overtime. With the players exhausted, overtime ended the same way it began, and the game was headed to a shootout.
For the first couple of shots, the goalies held strong, blanking players from both teams until Jake Guentzel stepped out onto the ice. Guentzel buried his opportunity, leading to the Bruins’ David Pastrnak requiring a goal to continue one of the greatest outdoor hockey games of all time. Vasilevskiy held his ground, leading the Lightning to their second-ever Stadium Series victory, capping off the largest comeback in franchise history.
Growing up as a Lightning fan, I was able to witness my team win the Stanley Cup twice, but this game was a whole different, thrilling experience. From the pre-game, to warmups, to coach Jon Cooper lighting a cigar after their victory, the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series was truly an unforgettable experience.
