– It was cold when we played out in Nashville too (in February 2022)… it’s really crazy, a year ago it was about 27 degrees here in Florida, if I remember correctly. I’ve been in Tampa for 13 years, and I’ve never seen it be as cold as it’s going to be now, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.
– Many here have never experienced hockey like this, in this way. But I am happy for them; this is how we’ve experienced hockey throughout our lives, on frozen ponds, outdoors and when it’s dark… and that’s what we’re going to do again now, says Cooper, from Prince George in British Columbia, Canada.
Tampa defender Ryan McDonagh, 36, is a veteran in the outdoor context: he has played five games and won them all. Now he faces a new challenge.
– It’s a nice break from the series lull, and it’s especially when you have family and friends there, and the fans get a kick out of it… so this is really something you soak in, says McDonagh.
– It’s not every day you get an opportunity to do something like this.
There were many people who frowned a little at the tent that protects the ice before the game, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck: a rain on Friday, expected cold and all the weather elements that can haunt..?
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