Photos courtesy of Terry Hunsicker
The Benchmark International Arena is located in downtown Tampa and is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. Opened in 1996 as the “Ice Palace” and recently renamed from Amalie Arena, Benchmark hosts events ranging from Lightning hockey games to concerts. On Oct. 30, 2025, the Lightning hosted the Dallas Stars. The Bolts held a pregame ceremony celebrating Nikita Kucherov’s 1000 career points, and centered game entertainment on the upcoming Halloween holiday. The Lightning won 2-1 in overtime with a walk-off goal by Anthony Cirelli.
