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The Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins kicked off February with a goaltending battle in their Stadium Series game at the home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the second period, with the Lightning down by three goals, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman challenged Lightning star Andrei Vasilevskiy as the two teams went into a scrimmage anyway. Both players threw down their gloves and helmets and the bell rang.
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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) land a punch during a goalie fight in the second period of the Winter Classic Stadium Series game between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Vasilevskiy grabbed Swayman and threw a few shots with his left. Swayman took a knee and the referees ended the skirmish.
The Lightning credited the goalie fight for helping them get back into the game as they came back to win 6-5 despite trailing 5-2 at the time of the fight.
“He was throwing lefts. I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I didn’t want to be the other guy,” Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov told reporters, via ESPN. “I was so happy. I was so excited. I think the bench felt it. Everybody in the building felt it. Since that fight, the game changed. Vasy had to do it, I guess. He had to wake us up.”
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Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) hugs Boston Bruins right winger David Pastrnak after the Lightning defeated the Bruins in a shootout during an NHL Stadium Series hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Kucherov added: “I knew he was going to crush Swayman’s wheels right away. We call him ‘White Tyson’ now.”
Brandon Hagel echoed Kucherov’s comments, saying the fight was a “big turning point in the game.”
It was the first goaltending fight in the history of an outdoor match, occurring in front of an announced crowd of 64,617 at Raymond James Stadium. Kucherov tied the game in the third period.
The Lightning won the match on penalties thanks to goals from Kucherov, Gage Goncalves and Jake Guentzel.
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates with the bench after his goal against the Boston Bruins during the first period of an NHL Stadium Series hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
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Tampa Bay’s victory was the largest comeback victory in franchise history and the largest in an NHL outdoor game. The Lightning improved to 35-14-4 and the Bruins fell to 32-20-4.
