Hockey

Mission Roll Call, a nonprofit dedicated to veterans, is partnering with the Lightning Warriors Hockey Program and the Malone Family Foundation to host this year’s 22-hour-long hockey game.

The Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 to become the NHL’s first back-to-back champs since Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 and the third team to do it this century.

The financial edge is just one advantage teams like the Panthers and Lightning have in attracting and retaining players. Everything from the weather to strong ownership and talented front offices factors in.

Doug Cifu got into an exchange with a Toronto fan who compared hits by Panthers players to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Cifu later referred to the fan as a "51st state anti semite loser."

The Lightning kept it close throughout, but Florida takes the home-ice advantage away from Tampa as their first-round NHL series head south to Sunrise for Games 3 and 4.

Tampa Bay loses Game 1 as Florida's Matthew Tkachuk nets two power-play goals in his first action after a two-month injury absence. Game 2 of the series is back at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

For five years, the Eastern Conference road to the Stanley Cup Final has meant Interstate 75. Florida is at Tampa Bay in Game 1 of the first round on Tuesday, with one of the rivals looking to keep that run going.

Games 1 and 2 will be at Amalie Arena for this Sunshine State rematch. The Lightning also announced details on watch parties for road games, plaza viewing parties for home games and more fan experiences.

Yanni Gourde, part of Tampa's 2020 and 2021 title teams, and Oliver Bjorkstrand add valuable depth. But it was costly: Seattle gets first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, a second-rounder this year and Mikey Eyssimont.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the hottest team in the NHL. They've won eight games in a row sandwiched around the 4 Nations Face-Off and last lost on Feb. 1. They have not been defeated in regulation since January.

Jeff Vinik says new owners Doug Ostrover and Marc Lipschultz will maintain the team's winning legacy for "generations." Vinik will still run the show for three years and remain an active minority owner after that.

Known as "johnny Hockey," the Columbus Blue Jackets' forward and his brother were cycling in their home state of New Jersey. Officials said the driver was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol.