April 22, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

⚡ It’s time to Be The Thunder

A group of Tampa Bay Lightning players celebrates a goal by the glass. They are dressed in their blue uniforms and are hugging each other while the crowd celebrates behind.

Let’s hope for plenty of scenes like this in the coming weeks. | Photo via the Tampa Bay Lightning

There are only three certainties in life: Death, taxes, and the Tampa Bay Lightning making the postseason.

Our Bolts have made it back to the NHL playoffs for a remarkable seventh consecutive year, and are on the hunt to hoist the Stanley Cup into the sky once more.

How did we get here?

While many of us here in TBAY assume a hockey playoff berth is a rite of passage, it’s not quite as simple as that.

If you want simple, here are two words: Nikita Kucherov. The winger from Southern Russia has been a hockey player possessed this year, recently becoming only the fifth person in NHL history to record 100 assists in a single season. As the Lightning keep posting on social media, #Kuch4MVP.

The Bolts have become known for their attacking prowess in the 2023-24 season, averaging 3.51 goals per game — that’s the league’s fifth-highest amount. Keep your eyes on Kucherov, Brayden Point, and stalwart skipper Steven Stamkos, who have all scored 40+ goals through the season.

Nikita Kucherov fist bumps his team mates. He is on the ice and they are on the bench. — “Kuuuuuuuuch.”
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Photo via the Tampa Bay Lightning

What comes next?

The NHL playoffs are decided through best-of-seven series, and there are four rounds in total.

Kuch and Co. are in the midst of their Round 1 series vs. the Florida Panthers. The Bolts are looking to bounce back after a tough 3-2 defeat in Game 1 yesterday. They’ll have the chance to level up the series tomorrow night, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m., before heading back to Tampa for Games 3 + 4.

Lightning goalie Vasilevskiy walks out of the locker room. The lighting is a rich blue color, and he is carrying his stick while fully padded up. — Good luck scoring when Vasy’s in the way.
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Photo via the Tampa Bay Lightning

How can I join the fun?

Official watch parties are taking place at Sparkman Wharf and Midtown Tampa, with games also shown in Thunder Alley right outside Amalie. Pro tip: Arrive early if you want a good spot.

Here are a few ideas to show some Bolts pride:

Show off your fandom to your neighbors with this garden flag.
You can even support the team while sat in traffic on I-275.
There’s no reason to leave your pet out of the fun — and this jersey means you don’t have to.
Jeans and a cute top? Oh, go on then.

More stats + ways to watch

Events

Monday, April 22

Earth Day Community Clean-Up | Monday, April 22 | 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Safety Harbor Library, 101 Second St. N., Safety Harbor | Free | Meet behind the library to pick up litter and keep downtown Safety Harbor spick and span.
Earth Day Activation: Serenity Under The Sky | Monday, April 22 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Tampa EDITION, 500 Channelside Dr., Tampa | $45 | Soak in our Earth’s beauty with a meditation session on the rooftop, overlooking Tampa’s skyline.
Rays vs. Tigers | Monday, April 22-Wednesday, April 24 | 6:50 p.m. | Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Dr., St. Petersburg | $10+ | The Rays begin a three-day home stint against the boys from Detroit.

Tuesday, April 23

Fly Fishing Film Tour | Tuesday, April 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre, 711 N. Franklin St., Tampa | $17+ | Soak in this traveling roadshow of the world’s best films dedicated to fly fishing.

Wednesday, April 24

“Gimme Gimme": A Tribute to ABBA | Wednesday, April 24 | 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m. | The Birchwood Hotel, 340 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg | $30+ | Mamma Mia — take a chance on a night in the Burg listening to all the classic hits.
Taylor Swift Trivia Night | Wednesday, April 24 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | MacDinton’s Irish Pub, 405 S. Howard Ave., Tampa | Free entry | Calling all Swifties — here’s your chance to make use of all those listening parties.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

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Asked

☀️ What questions do you have about going solar?

the side of a cabin with solar panels on top

Rising energy costs have you thinking of going solar? Ask the experts your questions before making the big decision. | Photo provided by Freedom Solar Power

As the cost to power and cool your home continues to rise, using sun-generated power makes so much sense. Going solar means you also:

Make the electricity grid more resilient by diversifying energy
Give your home a stable + predictable energy source that additionally reduces your bill every month
Improve local air quality by reducing reliance on fossil fuels (which also fosters a more sustainable, self-sufficient future for us all)

Intrigued? We’re pulling in the experts to get your solar questions answered.

🙋 Ask the experts

Freedom Solar Power is on call + ready to answer your solar questions, like:

How much do solar panels cost — and how much will I save, really?
Does going solar increase the value of my home?
How much power do solar panels generate?
Are there any rebates or incentives to help me pay for solar?
What does your 25 year warranty cover?

Submit your questions and we’ll share Freedom Solar’s answers in a few weeks.

Ask your solar questions

News Notes

Announced

Our food scene is shining brightly. Two Tampa Bay area restaurants just received their first Michelin stars. Scandinavian joint Ebbe and omakase fave Kōsen just joined the list of TBAY’s prized eateries, while Koya, Rocca, and Lilac all retained their stars at last week’s ceremony. (Tampa Bay Times)

Development

Plans are coming together for the future of Tampa’s WestShore Plaza. The Tampa City Council has greenlit plans to turn the once-favorite South Tampa shopping center into a mixed-use development. The idea is to create 1,700 residential units, alongside office + retail space. (WFLA)

Eat

There’s a new spot to grab a cheesesteak in the Burg. Little Philly just opened its doors at 2063 Central Ave., dousing the Grand Central District in the smells of the City of Brotherly Love. And don’t worry — there are veggie options too. (Creative Loafing Tampa Bay)

Open

The spring breakers will love this one: Clearwater Beach has a brand new hotel. The boutique Hiatus Clearwater Beach has 88 rooms, and has officially started taking guests at 385 S. Gulfview Blvd. That means guests will have to walk ~60 seconds to get their toes sandy. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

Travel

Passports at the ready. Routes to two hot destinations are doubling from Tampa International Airport. Edelweiss has announced it will run twice the number of routes to Zurich, Switzerland, starting next month, and JetBlue will double routes to San Juan in Puerto Rico starting in June. (That’s So Tampa)

Number

$47 million. That’s roughly how much economic impact WWE’s Royal Rumble generated for St. Pete. The event took place at the Trop back in January, and featured a record-breaking crowd of 48,044 fans. (St. Pete Catalyst)

Sports

The NFL Draft is mere days away — who will the Bucs pick? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Culture

🌎 Happy birthday, Earth

Crowds of people check out tents with vendors and walk underneath a tree canopy.

Join hundreds of other TBAY residents to hunt for new plants at the Green Thumb Festival. | Photo @stpetefl

Happy Earth Day, TBAY. Beyond our plethora of ways to take in the Tampa Bay area’s natural beauty — with our beaches, springs, and fauna galore — there’s plenty of other ways to celebrate:

Sunset Serenade | Monday, April 22 | Hop on the Sun Runner for a fare-free ride to the Dolphin Beach Resort accompanied by live music from local musicians.
Succulent Terrarium Workshop | Wednesday, April 24 | Learn how to keep and maintain a succulent terrarium at Cactus Moon in Tampa’s Seminole Heights neighborhood — it costs $40 and supplies are included.
Green Thumb Festival | Saturday, April 27+ Sunday, April 28 | While technically an Arbor Day celebration, this festival is worth checking out for the hundreds of vendors selling everything from orchids and fruit trees to native plants.

Find even more ideas on our events calendar.

The Buy

Colorful old fashioned glasses that are perfect for spring and summer. They have the look and feel of glass, but are made from unbreakable and BPA-free Tritan material, meaning they’re pool and party-proof.

Answered

Last week, we asked which of the Tampa Bay area’s new baby animals you’re most excited to see. Here’s what you said:

A photo gallery of Busch Gardens' new baby orangutan, in various poses, from lying on a bed to being fed milk. — Welcome to the world.
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Photo by Busch Gardens

You didn’t monkey around with this one.

The vast majority of you can’t wait to meet the Tampa Bay area’s youngest primate, with ~77% of voters agreeing. Recently born at Busch Gardens, the female Bornean orangutan does not yet have a name, but certainly has a place in our hearts.

We posted some pics of her on our Instagram, and her cute little hat.

Also, ~18% of you are looking forward to seeing Munah the Malayan tapir at Zoo Tampa. Count us in.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Patrick

From the editor

Don’t worry, it’s just one game. Yesterday’s 3-2 loss in Game 1 of the playoffs was a tough one to take, but I have every faith in the Bolts to bounce back. I’ll be watching at Sparkman Wharf tomorrow night — let’s square it up, boys.

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