TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning won their hurricane-delayed home opener over the Vancouver Canucks but the impact of two recent major hurricanes overshadowed it.
Debris, malfunctioning stop lights and power outages remain around the Tampa Bay area a week after Hurricane Milton devastated parts of Florida. Milton came on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which also hit the region hard.
“This is different,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We’ve kind of been in this position before a few years ago but not quite like this. There’s disarray everywhere. There’s many people still in hotels, including myself. It’s been really tough to see how people are negatively affected.”
But there are signs of encouragement.
There was a standing ovation late in the second period and it wasn’t for any of the Tampa Bay players. It was for a group of power company workers from Vancouver who are assisting in recovery efforts.
“How about the ovation that the Vancouver linemen got when they showed them on the big screen?” Cooper asked. “I’m normally not looking up there a ton but that was a pretty moving moment for me. And it just shows you there’s a lot of good out there. When people come out and help each other it does make you feel good."
A food drive and other activities took place outside Amalie Arena before the Lightning’s 4-1 win Tuesday night over the Canucks.
Discount tickets were available and there was a pregame video on the scoreboard regarding the storms and the role of first responders.
The Lightning Foundation pledged an additional $1 million toward relief to its $2 million original commitment and recovery efforts.
“With everything going on, it’s kind of nice to have everyone come in here and let a little stress go,” Lightning forward Nick Paul said.
Tampa Bay’s scheduled home opener last Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes was postponed. The Lightning spent most of last week in Raleigh, North Carolina, before beating the Hurricanes 4-1 on Friday night.
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Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman carries a "Tampa Strong" flag in honor of the victims of Hurricane Milton before an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman carries a "Tampa Strong" flag in honor of the victims of Hurricane Milton before an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A fishing boat capsized and sank off the coast of South Korea’s Jeju island Friday, leaving at least two people dead and 12 others unaccounted for, coast guard officials said.
Nearby fishing vessels managed to pull 15 crew members out of the water, but two of them were later pronounced dead after being brought to shore. The other 13 did not sustain life-threatening injuries, said Kim Han-na, an official at Jeju’s coast guard.
She said 27 crew members – 16 South Korean nationals and 11 foreigners – were on the 129-ton boat, which left Jeju’s Seogwipo port late Thursday to catch mackerel. The coast guard received a distress signal at around 4:30 a.m. Friday from a nearby fishing vessel that conducted rescue efforts as the boat sank 24 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of the island.
At least 11 vessels and nine aircraft from South Korea’s coast guard, police, fire service and military were deployed as of Friday morning to search for survivors. They were being assisted by 13 civilian vessels.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for officials to mobilize all available resources to find and rescue the missing crew members, his office said.
Rescue team prepare to help rescued crew members of a fishing boat at a port on Jeju Island, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
Rescued crew members of a fishing boat wait for transfer to a hospital at a port on Jeju Island, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
Rescued crew members of a fishing boat wait for transfer to a hospital at a port on Jeju Island, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)