A Modern Rivalry: Bruins, Lightning Battle For the East

When Do the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning Play Next?

Upcoming game information can be found below. Boston Bruins tickets and Tampa Bay Lightning tickets can be found on their respective team pages.

Are the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning Rivals?

Yes, the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning are rivals in the NHL. Both teams are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins and Lightning have met in the postseason three times, most recently in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Who Are the Boston Bruins’ Biggest Rivals?

The Boston Bruins’ biggest rivals are the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Buffalo Sabres and the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, along with the Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division and fellow NHL Original Six members the Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers.

Who are the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Biggest Rivals?

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s biggest rivals are the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, plus the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan Division.

Game Results Between the Lightning and Bruins

Of the NHL’s 82 regular season games, fans can expect four faceoffs between the Bruins and Lightning each year. The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning have played each other 118 times, with the Bruins holding the all-time edge at 72-32-9-5.

Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Series History

The rivalry history between the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning developed through thrilling Eastern Conference competition over the years. Although the Bruins have been a part of the NHL since its founding, the Lightning joined the league in 1992 and spent their first two decades building a legacy largely separate from the Bruins. However, the two teams first clashed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs during the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals, kicking off one of the NHL’s most heated active rivalries. After a tense, seven-game series, Boston advanced to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, where the Bruins claimed their sixth, and most recent, championship.

Both teams were placed into the Atlantic Division following the 2013 league-wide reorganization, adding a consistent flair to Bruins vs. Lightning regular season matchups. The two squads met in the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals, in which Tampa Bay won the series, 4-1. Two years later, the Bruins fell once more to the Lightning in the 2020 Eastern Conference semifinals, and the Lightning were able to capitalize on the victory by later winning their second Stanley Cup. Tampa Bay became back-to-back champions in 2021 without a postseason contest against Boston.

Where Do the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins Play?

The Boston Bruins compete at TD Garden in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Sharing the multipurpose indoor venue with the NBA’s Boston Celtics, “The Garden” holds a maximum capacity of 17,850 in its hockey configuration. Opened in 1995, TD Garden hosted the NHL All-Star Game in 1996 and was selected for the league’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. Meanwhile, the arena has presided over four editions of the NCAA Men’s Hockey Frozen Four tournament in 1998, 2004, 2015 and 2022.

The Tampa Bay Lightning play at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Opened in 1996 as the Ice Palace, the venue was renovated between 2011 and 2013 and can currently hold up to 19,092 fans in its hockey setup. It has also hosted Stanley Cup Finals games in four of the Lightning’s five total campaigns, in 2004, 2015, 2021 and 2022. Aside from the Lightning, Amalie Arena has been used for the NHL All-Star Game in 1999 and 2018 as well as the NCAA Men’s Hockey Frozen Four in 2012, 2016 and 2023.