Hockey in paradise thriving at 401 Channelside Drive

On March 26, 2015, the Tampa Bay Lightning fell to the Nashville Predators in a 3-2 loss at AMALIE Arena. Vladislav Namestnikov and Brian Boyle were the goal scorers for the Bolts, with Mark Barberio, J.T. Brown, Jonathan Drouin, and Andrej Sustr picking up one assist each.
The 75th game of the 2014-15 regular season, there wasn't much reason for anyone to record the game as a major moment of significance at the time.
But over seven years later, we now know that game would be the first in a streak of 300 consecutive sellouts at AMALIE Arena, the longest active sellout streak in the NHL. Ironically, the 300th game came on Thursday night against the exact same opponent - the Predators.

"Our job is to put a product on the ice that the city can be proud of, and they have showed up 300 consecutive games to cheer us on," said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. "I truly believe [with] everything that's gone on, they've been a big part of that.
"I thought it was apropos that when we won our first Cup in the bubble, it was only fitting that we won the next one at home. It's something our fans got deprived of."
The Lightning have created a terrific culture over the past several years for fans and players alike. While there are several ways to help cultivate a first-class culture in sports, two things stand above the rest - ownership and winning. And the Bolts have won a lot with one of the best owners in professional sports.
Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Tampa Bay has posted a 220-81-21 record on home ice with a .716-point percentage. No other team in the NHL has recorded better than a .700-point percentage during that span.
Over the past eight seasons, the Bolts have finished in the top 10 for home wins in the NHL seven times, leading the league on two separate occasions with 32 home wins in 2014-15 and 2018-19. Tampa Bay fans have been filling every seat and cheering on their team the entire way.
"When you show up the way they have in the numbers they have, it makes you feel cool inside just for what has gone on and how we've seen this organization grow," Cooper said. "The big thing for me is when I first got here, it sometimes felt like a road game. What's gone on the last 8-10 years, it's clearly a home game for us and I think it's in huge part because of our fans."
From the giant jumbotron to the tesla coils to Sonya Bryson-Kirksey singing the national anthem, games at AMALIE Arena have become a staple in the Tampa community.
The building is consistently evolving and manages to become better each and every year. Bolts fans owe much of that to Jeff Vinik, who continues to do whatever it takes to ensure the organization remains at the top of the sports world in all aspects.
"I'm just a small piece of it," said Cooper. "Jeff, what he's done with the franchise and just his philanthropy and everything that's gone on with what he's built around here, it's pretty remarkable."
Things weren't always this way in Tampa, even while some of the Lightning's current players were still on the roster. Go back and watch highlights from Steven Stamkos's rookie season and there are plenty of clips on home ice with multiple pockets of empty seats throughout the arena. But through first-class ownership and a whole lot of winning, the Bolts have transformed AMALIE Arena into one of the best buildings in the NHL.
"I've been here a long time," said Stamkos. "I've seen some tough times and I've seen the top of the mountain, so it's been pretty cool to see the change. Obviously, that all starts with Mr. Vinik and his family and everyone that has come in because of him, along with the work we do in the community.
"We certainly get great fan support, so it's a really fun building for us to play in. Obviously, our record probably speaks for itself, in terms of our home record the past six or seven years.
"It's a place that we're certainly comfortable playing in and we feed off the atmosphere. It's become a great hockey town."
If there's one player who can really appreciate the fan support in Tampa, it's Stamkos, who has scored 106 goals and added 162 assists for 268 points on home ice since the sellout streak began. He's seen some of the lowest lows and highest highs with the Lightning.
Whether it's lifting the Stanley Cup, recording his 100th point last season for the first time of his career or celebrating his 500th career goal with a pregame ceremony, Stamkos will have memories from AMALIE Arena etched in his head forever.
"I've seen some really tough times, but to be able to achieve your ultimate dream and sticking it out through some of those tough times, to me, it's just all worth it," said Stamkos. "I've been very fortunate to do that here and I've seen this city grow and this franchise grow. It's been amazing."
After four trips to the Stanley Cup Final and two championships to show for it along the way, Lightning fans have enjoyed watching some of the biggest hockey games of the past several years unfold right in front of them on home ice.
The Bolts are off to a great start this year, with a 9-4-1 record at home, tied for the fifth-most home wins in the NHL. They've gone 6-2-0 over the last eight games at AMALIE Arena.
It's nearly impossible to drive through any region of the Tampa Bay area for more than five minutes and not spot something Lightning related, whether it's a sticker on a car, a flag on a neighbor's house, or even a big banner on the side of a corporate building.
"I've been here for the last four years and seen first-hand how much the Tampa Bay Lightning fans care about this organization and the players," said Pat Maroon. "It's pretty remarkable to have 300 consecutive sellouts first and foremost, but I think the fanbase has been awesome.
"They love their team. They love their players. They love everyone.
"It's obviously been really fun to play here, and I guess winning brings a lot of fans back in the building, so we've got to keep doing that."