In their first game, the Tampa Bay Lightning started fast, then stopped skating in a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators. In their second game they never got out of the gate as the New Jersey Devils outplayed them heavily in the first period, scoring three times, on their way to a 5-3 win. After a second period rally brought the Bolts within a goal, the Devils scored two goals in less than two minutes to reestablish their three-goal lead.
The Lightning made a small line-up change as Jack Finley made his season debut with Curtis Douglas cycling out of the line-up.