Watch The Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Championship Banner Being Raised
It was a very special Saturday night at Amalie Arena as the Bolts welcomed fans back to the game. Granted it was a limited capacity, but it felt good hearing real cheers from the crowd. The Lightning promised fans at the start of this new season that they wouldn’t raise the Stanley Cup championship banner until fans were let back in the building.

TAMPA, FLORIDA – MARCH 13: The Tampa Bay Lightning watch as the 2019-2020 Stanley Cup Championship banner is raised at Amalie Arena prior to a game against the Nashville Predators on March 13, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
You can tell the Lightning players and coaches were happy to have their fans backing them in person. Jon Cooper said the next morning. “What we experienced last night was new. We haven’t been used to playing in front of fans. 3,800 felt like 19,000.”
“What we experienced last night was new. We haven’t been used to playing in front of fans. 3,800 felt like 19,000.”
— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 14, 2021
Jon Cooper: https://t.co/akwE56hpvX pic.twitter.com/X7mL9V5Ycx
On having fans in the building last night: “Hopefully this is a big step towards full arenas around the world.”
— x - Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 14, 2021
Victor Hedman: https://t.co/xw4tqCGKph pic.twitter.com/wPtrZFNIi9