Bruins and Lightning’s Surprising Colonial and Buccaneer Costumes Spark Curious Stadium Series Showdown

Raymond James Stadium didn’t host an NFL showdown this past Sunday, but if you thought the gridiron spirit was missing, think again—Patriots and Buccaneers were everywhere you looked. The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning kept the outdoor NHL game entrance antics alive and kicking during the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series, stepping out in style with some seriously snazzy themed gear. What really caught my eye? The Lightning tipping their hats to the Buccaneers by rocking those iconic orange “creamsicle” uniforms—nostalgia in full effect, harking back to Tampa’s roots from ’76 to ’96 before the Bucs switched up their colors. Seeing those classic pirate helmets and the crew rolling in on a trolley, joined by Bucs stars Baker Mayfield in a Lightning jersey and Tristan Wirfs sporting a retro black throwback with a giant boombox? Pure magic. It’s moments like these that remind me sport is more than a game—it’s about history, pride, and those vivid flashes of legacy brought to life. LEARN MORE

There was not an NFL game at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, but there were plenty of Patriots and Buccaneers.

The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning continued the long-standing tradition of themed outfits for arrivals to NHL outdoor games on Sunday, showing up at the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series in full-on garb.

The Lightning paid tribute to their hosts, the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, donning the famous orange “creamsicle” uniforms that the team wore from their founding in 1976 until 1996. The Buccaneers went to a red-and-pewter color scheme in 1997 but brought back the popular orange uniforms as throwbacks in 2009 and still wear them a few times per season.

Lightning players each wore the full uniform, including the white striped helmet with the old Buccaneers logo — featuring a pirate with a feathered hat holding a dagger in his teeth — on either side.

The team arrived via trolley to the stadium and had current Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield and two-time All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs walk in with them. Mayfield wore a Stadium Series Lightning jersey while Wirfs opted for a black throwback jersey that the Lightning wore from their inaugural season in 1992-93 until 2006-07. Wirfs also carried a giant 1990s-era boombox on his shoulder.