Lightning rally from 4 down for 1st time in history, defeat Bruins in shootout in Stadium Series

TAMPA -- In what was unquestionably the most memorable regular-season game in the history of the Tampa Bay Lightning, it's no shock that one of their greatest players of all time took center stage.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and three assists for the Lightning, who rallied from four goals down for the first time in franchise history to defeat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout at the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.

Jake Guentzel scored the lone goal in the shootout for the Lightning, who trailed 5-1 in the second period but responded with four unanswered goals to tie the game, including two on a 5-on-3 power play in 23 seconds in the second period.

It was all part of a night that began with the fastest goal to start an outdoor game, featured a goalie fight in a wild second period, and ended with most of the crowd of 64,617 fans going home happy on an unseasonably chilly night in Florida (41.8 degrees Fahrenheit at puck drop).

What a way for the Lightning to host their first outdoor game.

"I mean, I don't think you can get much better than this outdoor game in NHL history," Guentzel said. "I think there is a little bit of everything. Down 5-1, come back. … Just to what it meant to Tampa Bay to be having an outdoor game. So that was, that was the one you'll remember for your rest of your life."

Brandon Hagel scored and had two assists, Darren Raddysh had a goal and an assist, and Guentzel had two assists for the Lightning (35-14-4), who have won three straight and are 17-1-1 in their past 19 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves and improved to 14-0-1 in his past 15 starts.

Morgan Geekie had two goals and an assist, and Charlie McAvoy had two assists for the Bruins (32-20-4), who extended their point streak to six games (4-0-2). Alex Steeves, Matthew Poitras and Viktor Arvidsson scored, and Jeremy Swayman made 41 saves.

"The game was over, the game was in our hands," Boston forward David Pastrnak said. "We had them. We made the mistakes and let them back in the game with our mistakes, and you cant afford it against a team like Tampa. They are a heck of a team."

Oliver Bjorkstrand got Tampa Bay to within 5-2 with a power-play goal during a scramble in the crease at 10:28 of the second period.

Shortly after that, following a stoppage in play when Swayman saved a shot at 11:01, Hagel whacked his pads and the goalie punched him several times before skating to center ice, where he and Vasilevskiy exchanged punches before receiving fighting majors.

"Everything was just top notch," Kucherov said. "The crowd was unbelievable. I think the game was fun too for the fans. It was a very entertaining game. Being down 5-1, 'Vasy' fighting, which ... I think everybody got fired up and finally woke to play the right way and pull this one out. It's just ... unbelievable to see the fans and family."

Raddysh finished a pass from Kucherov with a one-timer from between the circles at 15:50 to make it 5-3, and Nick Paul scored just 23 seconds later at 16:13 on a tap-in from a feed from Guentzel to cut the deficit to 5-4.

"We know they are a great team over there and to get out to the lead we did, when we did, being in control of the game and just hand it right back to them, especially in our division and what we are playing for right now, just adds to the volume of everything," Geekie said. "This one stings for sure."

Kucherov then scored on a one-timer from the right circle to tie the game 5-5 at 11:50 of the third period.

"It was very special, honestly," Lightning forward Yanni Gourde said. "Just the way this game, how it had happened. Being down 3-1 and getting outshot 20-8 in the first period, it was not at all the way we wanted to start a game. But in the 2nd period, we changed our identity. We went back to what we do best and simple hard hockey, and we found a way."

The Bruins took 11 penalties and allowed three power-play goals on eight chances.

"The way the game went, we just didn't have our composure I would say," Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. "They were just better than us after the whistles. I don't think they were better than us today hockeywise, I thought they were better than us after the whistles."

Hagel scored the fastest goal to start an outdoor game in NHL history to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead, burying a snap shot from the high slot just 11 seconds into the game.

The Bruins then scored five straight goals.

Steeves tied the game 1-1 at 11:24 with a one-timer from the slot after a turnover by Paul.

Geekie gave Boston a 2-1 lead at 15:36, tipping a McAvoy shot from the half-wall, and Arvidsson pushed it to 3-1 on the power play when he deflected McAvoy's shot from in front at 18:03.

"Obviously, a [heck] of a game for the fans, entertaining, good for hockey," Pastrnak said. "But for us as players we left a big two points here. Unfortunately, we didn't get it done."

Poitras made it 4-1 at 2:22 into the second period, scoring from the slot with a backhand that went over Vasilevskiy's glove for his first goal of the season.

Geekie scored his second of the game on a one-timer from the left circle for a 5-1 lead at 8:18 of the second.

It was the largest comeback win in NHL outdoor game history.

"I don't know what you guys thought, but I mean, games like that don't come over very often," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "I mean, how often do you look at a score sheet, and you see one team with five straight goals scored, and then another team with five straight goals scored? The game had everything. It had the weather, it had the state, which doesn't usually get weather like this. It was a phenomenal atmosphere."

NOTES: This was the 45th outdoor game in NHL history. … Pastrnak appeared to win it for the Bruins when he scored 18 seconds into overtime, but he had been called for a slashing penalty and the goal did not count. ... Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh is 6-0-0 in outdoor games (two wins with the Lightning and four with the New York Rangers), the most wins of any skater or goaltender. ... Raddysh extended his goal streak to four games, setting a new franchise record for a defenseman. … Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli sustained an injury in the first period after a hit by Boston forward Mark Kastelic with 1:44 remaining and did not return. Cooper did not have an update. … Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman returned to the lineup after missing 22 games because of elbow surgery. He had two shots on goal and was minus-1 in 10:18 of ice time. ... Sturm became the first person to have played in and also coached in an outdoor NHL game. He scored in overtime to give the Bruins a 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston. ... Geekie has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in a seven-game streak. ... McAvoy extended his point streak to six games (one goal, eight assists).