The Tampa Bay Lightning improved to 3-0-0 this preseason with a 6–5 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night. The matchup marked the first game at the newly renamed Benchmark International Arena, and fans were treated to three full periods of entertaining hockey.
Zemgus Girgensons set the tone early, opening the scoring just over five minutes in, by charging the net and finishing off a shot that was tipped by Oliver Bjorkstrand. Girgensons struck again at the 11:30 mark of the first, already matching last season’s total of two goals, a mark that took him 45 games to reach.
Carolina forward Givani Smith cut the deficit, finding space alone in front of the net.
In the second period, Wojciech Stachowiak extended Tampa Bay’s lead to 3–1. The 26-year-old, who is quickly making a name for himself this preseason, joined the Lightning on a one-year, two-way entry-level contract this summer after five seasons in Germany’s top professional league.
“I just tried to play my game,” Stachowiak said. “Just keep the focus and do what's best for the team. Second game for me, so still a little nervous, so definitely excited and happy how the game went.”
Defenseman Max Groshev stretched the Lightning’s lead to 4–1 early in the third, scoring his first goal of the preseason. Carolina responded quickly with back-to-back goals, briefly shifting the momentum their way.
Stachowiak wasn’t done. The newly signed forward pushed back on Carolina, scoring his second goal of the night midway through the third period.
Bjorkstrand capped things off with a power-play goal from the bumper spot, sealing a 6–5 win for the Lightning.
"I'll be honest, this camp in recent memory for me, this is as good a group as we've ever had. Like just for character kids, just how in-tune they are with everything we're doing,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “They listen, they work, they're scrappy, they're everything you kind of want in players. I know we're only eight or nine days in, but it's been a great camp.”
“Take most of the players that are gonna play on the Lightning aside. I'm talking about a bunch of guys here trying to make the team or trying to make their impression in our organization. It's been a pleasure to be around these kids. Take away the wins and losses or whatever in the preseason, what's gone on so far. Their enthusiasm and the way they're playing, the care and it's just, it's been a pleasure to be around these kids. It's been a fun group."
The Lightning will play the Nashville Predators at 7 p.m. on Saturday.