On Tuesday, the NHL season opened with the Tampa Bay Lighting claiming a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, giving hockey fans in the twice-battered city something to cheer about.
But as sport often does, the occasion helped to channel the best of human potential, as the match was marked by a food drive, a raffle/fundraiser, and a horde of Canucks fans who came down from Canada several weeks in advance to help work on the power lines.
44 of the fans flew in to cheer on their team, Tampa’s opponents, but they arrived more than two weeks in advance of the match to help work on the power lines following Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
At the end of the second period, the 44 men in the traveling fans section appeared up on the big screen over center ice, resulting in the biggest ovation of the game.
“How about the ovation that the Vancouver [power] linemen got when they showed them on the big screen?” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper.
“I’m normally not looking up there a ton but that was a pretty moving moment for me. And it just shows you there’s a lot of good out there. When people come out and help each other it does make you feel good.”
Outside the Amelie Arena, a collection drive was organized for the first two home games, with fans encouraged to bring in non-perishable foods, cleaning and baby supplies, hygiene products, and other household necessities.
The collections have been completed and donated to Feeding Tampa Bay, Metropolitan Ministries, and the University Area Community Development Corporation (UACDC).
GET INSPIRED: 38,000 Fans Get Free CPR Training While Attending the Euro Championship–to Help Save Other Fans in Cardiac Arrest
Tampa Bay Lighting, like several other sports franchises, donated $2 million through the Lighting Foundation to contribute towards relief efforts. On Tuesday night, the foundation announced that because of the proceeds of its 50/50 raffle, it would be able to increase that commitment to $3 million.
Lighting Captain Victor Hedman also personally donated $150,000 to the Tampa Police Department and the Coast Guard Foundation. Fans can donate to hurricane relief through the Lighting Foundation here.
MORE HURRICANE RELIEF STORIES: ‘It’s Been Amazing’ the Outpouring of Support From Pilots, Business, Celebrities and Government After Hurricane
Additionally, in partnership with Ticketmaster, Lighting reduced the prices of home game tickets for the first three games of the season. The franchise also set aside hundreds of tickets for first responders and their families as a thank-you from the city.
At the end of the day, when the team took to the ice, captain Hedman led them out flying the “Tampa Strong” flag before leading his men to a barnstorming 4-1 win backed by a superb performance from their goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who made 21 saves and faced 14 penalty minutes conceding zero goals.
WATCH The local news report below, and a video of the Vancouver powerline workers (relevant content ends at 0:26)…
SHARE The Story Of These Vancouver Workers And The Galvanizing Power Of Sport…