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The Boston Bruins played host to the Tampa Bay Lightning not in the usual Amalie Arena fashion on Sunday night, but rather at Raymond James Stadium – home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
So, before hitting the outdoor ice on a very chilly Tampa evening, the Lightning players were seen exiting the bus wearing throwback “Creamsicle” Bucs uniforms.
Pads, helmets and all.
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Victor Hedman and the Tampa Bay Lightning don Tampa Bay Buccaneers creamsicle jerseys and are joined by Tristan Wirfs as they travel to the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on February 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mark LoMoglio/NHLI)
The fans cheered as the players, all with their numbers and last names emblazoned on the back of their bright orange jerseys, entered the stadium for their clash with the Bruins.
It was very different from the regular blue, black and white jerseys Lightning players are used to, but these throwback jerseys are a staple in the Tampa area. The Bucs still wear them today occasionally, though it used to be synonymous with losing when the franchise first began in 1976.
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The Bucs were an expansion team and they turned heads with their uniform color scheme. However, they went a whopping 0-26 in them before finally coming away with a win in their second season.
And it wasn’t just the Lightning players the fans cheered on. Leading the pack were Bucs stars quarterback Baker Mayfield and left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who led the way while wearing the actual blue sweater the hockey team would wear on the ice at Raymond James Stadium.
Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning arrives prior to the 2026 NHL Stadium Series against the Boston Bruins at Raymond James Stadium on February 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the Bruins also had a football theme as their NFL counterparts in New England are headed to the Super Bowl in a week.
With the Patriots back in the “Big Game,” the Bruins showed up in full Patriots outfits and looked like our founding fathers as they got off the bus.
While the NHL and its teams are having fun with this Stadium Series game, both of these teams are catching fire in the competition.
The Bruins and Lightning each own an 8-1-1 record over their last 10 games, and the Lightning own the Eastern Conference’s best record at 34-14-4. However, the Bruins are not too far behind at 32-20-3.
David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins arrives dressed as a Colonial Patriot before the 2026 NHL Stadium Series game between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium on February 1, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Brian Babineau/NHLI)
Finally, outdoor hockey in Florida is usually conducive, but the NHL actually needs a heater to get the ice to the proper temperature since it’s an uncharacteristic 40 degrees on Sunday night.
