Hurricane Helena’s devastating impact on Florida has led to the postponement of the Tampa Bay Lightning's pre-season game against the Nashville Predators. The game was originally scheduled for tonight —Thursday, September 27th, at Amalie Arena, but has now been rescheduled to Monday, October 7th, at the same venue.
With the storm making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, fans, teams, and players alike have been forced to confront the reality of safety over sport. As the storm continues to move north, it leaves a path of destruction and devastation in its wake. According to NBC News, there have been over 40 deaths that have been reported as a result of the storm and over 3 million people are without power across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
Tonight's game vs the Nashville Predators at @AmalieArena has been rescheduled to October 7 at 7pm.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) September 27, 2024
More info: https://t.co/073D2YEJBn pic.twitter.com/478uiWawcj
Tampa Bay Lightning release statement about tickets
The team emphasized their commitment to ensuring a flawless fan experience, acknowledging the disappointment caused by the postponement. For those who had planned to attend tonight's game, the Lightning issued a press release stating: "All tickets for tonight's game will be honored on the rescheduled date. Single-game ticket holders seeking refunds should contact their original point of purchase for assistance."
To make matters worse, the Lightning are in the midst of revamping Amalie Arena, and it will be interesting to see how this storm impacts their timeline. Bolts Nation can only hope that it won’t cause many delays for the exciting new additions planned for the venue to be complete.
It seems like both the weather and hockey gods don’t want to see the Lightning face off against their former captain’s new team just yet. The entire Tampa Bay fan base had hoped to see Steven Stamkos finish his career with the Lightning, so perhaps the timing of this storm is a sign that his first return to Tampa should be during the regular season, rather than in a meaningless pre-season game.
We send our strength and condolences to all the people and communities affected by this horrendous natural-disaster.