The phrase Tampa Bay Strong took on a couple of meanings tonight. The Bolts’ home opener was originally scheduled for Saturday night. But when Hurricane Milton ravaged the Bay area a mere two weeks after Hurricane Helene had devastated so many in the community, the home game against (ironically?) the Carolina Hurricanes was postponed. Tonight, our community and our Bolts are out to show their resilience. The lights are back on at Amalie Arena and the fans are ready to welcome back hockey and our beloved boys in blue.
We Are Tampa Bay Strong
Tonight’s festivities began with a tribute to the heroic first responders who undertook valiant rescue efforts throughout the hurricane recovery process. The Lightning foundation announced an additional one million dollar donation to the relief efforts. Luckily, we were not alone in our efforts. Crews came from all over the United States and beyond, including from tonight’s opponent city. Thirty-two electrical linemen from Vancouver drove down last week to assist with hurricane recovery. They will head home tomorrow after five 16-hour days. Tonight, all 32 are guests in a Lightning organization suite.
And onto hockey… the crowd at Amalie was on its feet as the 2024-2025 Bolts team was announced. No doubt, this crowd will miss number 91 this season. But there was excitement over new faces, including Jake Guentzel and the new letter C on Victor Hedman’s jersey.
Nikita Kucherov is Tampa Bay Strong
Nikita Kucherov is good at hockey. Period. The Lightning superstar has started this season pretty much where he ended last regular season- racking up points. During the opening game in Carolina, Kucherov was involved in all four of the team’s goals. He assisted on the first goal and then scored the final three. The first two goals that night were power play goals. The next two were empty net goals. So, the Bolts had yet to score a five on five goal. But it wouldn’t take long to end that streak! Just before the four-minute mark, Kucherov struck again with his fourth goal of the season off a perfect feed from the stick of Darren Raddysh.
Nikita Kucherov scores the first goal at Amalie Arena!#GoBolts | 📺: Bally Sports Sun pic.twitter.com/PfB3huQWXe
— Bally Sports Sun: Lightning (@BallyLightning) October 15, 2024
Each team then killed off a penalty before the end of the frame and the period ended with the Lightning up 1-0.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is Tampa Bay Strong
The Vancouver Canucks looked a bit sluggish in the opening period. But that was not the case in the second. They came out firing and dominated the Lightning for stretches of that period. For every shot they fired, Andrei Vasilevskiy had the answer.
At the 7:43 mark, the Bolts would double their lead. The first Lightning goal this season where Kucherov did not get his name on the scoring sheet (though he was on the ice). Just after a successful penalty kill, Brayden Point was streaking in and blasted a shot past Vancouver netminder Arturs Silovs. It was Point’s second goal of the season. Jake Guentzel assisted on the goal and Ryan McDonagh tallied his first point since returning to the Bolts. Welcome back, Ryan!
There he goes 👏 pic.twitter.com/hqBVZDdpoD
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) October 16, 2024
And the rest of the period featured Vasilevskiy acrobatics and miraculous saves to hold the 2-0 lead.
Can We Be Third Period Strong?
The Lightning were 20 minutes away from sealing a win in the home opener. The third period started with a quick Lightning strike as Anthony Cirelli notched his first of the season when the puck trickled past Silovs at the 39-second mark. Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul drew the assists.
Tony cleans up for career goal No. 98! #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/mtVs5vQG0l
— Bally Sports Sun: Lightning (@BallyLightning) October 16, 2024
The Canucks showed their own resilience as they fought hard to get back into this one. Just as their power play was coming to an end, Conor Garland tipped home his second of the season to close the gap to 3-1.
As the 12-minute mark approached, Mike Eyssimont appeared to put the Bolts up by three once again. Vancouver challenged and the call on the ice was overturned. No goal and the score remained 3-1.
The Lightning would get that one back as the Canucks pulled goaltender Arturs Silvos for the extra attacker in the final two minutes and Brandon Hagel fired the puck into the empty net to ice this one.
Final score 4-1 as the Lightning proved themselves to be Tampa Bay Strong!
Three Stars
1- Andrei Vasilevskiy- stopped 26 of 27 shots including several grade A scoring chances
2- Brayden Point- Game winning goal and one assist
3- Anthony Cirelli- One goal, one assist
Up Next
The Bolts will welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to town on Thursday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm.
