Kucherov Nears History, Dominic James Returns & Where Does Yanni Gourde Fit? | Into The Blue - October 19, 2026

The Tampa Bay Lightning head out on their longest road trip of the season, and there's plenty to discuss on this week's Into The Blue, presented by Penelope Bourbon. Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce break down what the Lightning need to do to translate their dominant home success into wins on the road as the team prepares for matchups against Vegas, Colorado, and Utah. The duo also dives into Dominic James' impressive return to the lineup, his growing role within the organization, and why his speed continues to make an impact every time he steps on the ice. Plus, Nikita Kucherov sits just four points away from becoming the franchise's all-time scoring leader, setting up what could be a historic week for the Lightning. Gabby and Ben also answer fan questions about Yanni Gourde's eventual return, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare's transition to player development, and wrap things up with Plus/Minus featuring new broadcast opportunities, travel challenges, and some very relatable packing struggles. Timestamps 0:00 Welcome in & previewing the upcoming road trip 1:00 Why the Lightning need better road starts 5:26 Dominic James returns to the lineup 6:04 What makes Dominic James so effective 10:49 Where Dominic James can fit throughout the lineup 13:48 Nikita Kucherov closing in on franchise scoring history 15:02 Kucherov's recent play and postgame comments 17:40 Just how impressive Kucherov's numbers really are 21:12 Blue Line Mailbag begins 23:20 Where does Yanni Gourde fit when he returns? 33:54 Pierre-Édouard Bellemare's move behind the bench 39:35 Plus: Gabby hosts the Lightning broadcast 42:52 Plus: Ben's first appearance on the TV broadcast 47:00 Minus: Last-minute road trip packing 48:41 Minus: Surviving a week of late-night puck drops 50:15 Programming note for next week's episode 50:40 Final thoughts & Kucherov milestone watch With Kucherov on the verge of history, Dominic James making a strong early impact, and a challenging road trip ahead, Gabby and Ben cover everything Lightning fans need to know on this week's episode of Into The Blue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five games into the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning sit atop the Atlantic Division with a 4-1-0 record and winners of four straight. This week on Into The Blue, Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce discuss the players who have impressed them most through the opening stretch, including Pontus Holmberg and Ilya Mikheyev, while looking at what's fueling the Lightning's hot start. The conversation then shifts to Nikita Kucherov's pursuit of the franchise scoring record, expectations for the rematch with the Rangers, and potential tweaks to a power play that is beginning to show signs of life. Plus, another edition of Blue Line Mailbag, insights into life aboard the team plane, Andrei Vasilevskiy's new cat-themed mask, and a breakdown of Scott Sabourin's memorable fight. Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome in & Lightning sitting atop the Atlantic Division 0:49 Most impressive Lightning player through five games 1:08 Why Ben picks Pontus Holmberg 3:29 Gabby's choice: Ilya Mikheyev's impact 5:53 Mikheyev's role on the penalty kill 7:58 Dominic James injury update and return timeline 9:20 Nikita Kucherov's pursuit of the franchise scoring record 14:39 Rangers rematch: What will be different this time? 19:46 Blue Line Mailbag begins 20:13 Power play discussion and potential lineup changes 30:08 Team plane food, snacks, and travel routines 34:41 Andrei Vasilevskiy's new goalie mask 37:39 Signs of life from the Lightning power play 39:20 Scott Sabourin's heavyweight fight 41:01 Hoping Kucherov's milestone happens at home 42:08 Closing thoughts and wrap-up The Lightning are rolling, Kucherov is closing in on history, and the fan mailbag delivers another great set of questions. Tune in for a fun and insightful look inside the team on this week's episode of Into The Blue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are 1-1 through two games, and on this week's Into The Blue, Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce break down the dramatic difference between Game 1 in New York and the impressive home-opening victory over Washington. The duo discusses the team's renewed intensity, physical play, and commitment to winning battles, plus what Emil Lilleberg's injury means for the blue line as Max Crozier steps into the lineup. They also dive into the Lightning's much-improved power play, provide updates on Dominic James, answer fan questions, and take a look at several major milestones that could be approaching for Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman, and others. Plus, listener questions, behind-the-scenes stories from Blue Carpet arrivals, and another entertaining edition of Plus/Minus. Topics: Intro & Lightning's bounce-back win over WashingtonWhat changed from Game 1 to Game 2? Intensity, physicality & winning battlesEmil Lilleberg's fight, injury update & timeline for returnMax Crozier enters the lineup and what he brings to the blue lineDominic James injury update and potential return dateBreaking down the Lightning power play and why John Cooper liked what he sawBlue Line Mailbag: Upcoming Lightning milestones and records to watchNikita Kucherov's pursuit of the franchise scoring recordDo Viel and Charle-Edouard D'Astous know each other from Rimouski?Plus/Minus: First win of the season, Blue Carpet memories, sleep schedules & parenting challengesClosing thoughts and wrap-up Listen now as Gabby and Ben take you behind the scenes of the Tampa Bay Lightning season on another episode of Into The Blue, presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 4 of Into the Blue is officially underway! Hosts Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce return to kick off another Tampa Bay Lightning season, catch up after the summer, and dive into the biggest storylines surrounding the team ahead of Opening Night. They discuss the roster decisions coming out of training camp, the crowded blue line battle, Nikita Kucherov's contract situation, and what stood out most from a highly competitive camp. Plus, the fan-favorite Plus/Minus segment returns with plenty of offseason stories, including weddings, engagements, new homes, a missing dog adventure, and more. ⏱️ Timestamps0:00 – Welcome back to Season 4 of Into the Blue2:15 – Meet the hosts: Gabby & Ben catch up after the offseason4:20 – What's new this season? Listener feedback & behind-the-scenes plans7:05 – Benjamin Rautiainen loaned back to Finland and roster implications8:40 – Breaking down the Lightning's Opening Night roster11:40 – Victor Hedman's return and expectations for the season14:15 – The battle on the blue line: Why eight NHL defensemen creates tough decisions21:45 – The latest on Nikita Kucherov's contract situation25:00 – Plus/Minus returns26:00 – Eric Cernak's Lake Como wedding & Conor Geekie's engagement30:00 – Ben's summer plus: Buying a new home in Tampa33:00 – Gabby's summer plus: Celebrating her grandmother's 90th birthday35:00 – Ben's summer minus: The dreaded dentist appointment36:30 – Gabby's unbelievable missing dog story42:30 – Final thoughts and looking ahead to the new season 🎧 Subscribe, follow, and send in your questions for future episodes as Into the Blue brings you even more behind-the-scenes access throughout the 2026-27 Tampa Bay Lightning seasonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce wrap up the Tampa Bay Lightning's season after their loss in Game 7 to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs first round. They discuss the team's performance this year, what the players had to say in exit interviews and they look ahead to next season's team and what changes might come to the roster. Into The Blue is presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce discuss how impactful Brandon Hagel has been in this first round playoff series vs. the Montreal Canadiens that is tied at 2 games apiece. Plus are the Tampa Bay Lightning taking too many penalties, Max Crozier's momentum changing hit and a look ahead to Game 5 that could see Charle-Édouard D'Astous return to the lineup. Into The Blue is presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce discuss the Tampa Bay Lightning playoff series vs. the Montreal Canadiens that they trail 1-0. They talk about the injuries to Charle-Édouard D'Astous and Dominic James, the physicality of the game and any potential lineup changes for Game 2. Into The Blue is presented Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Shirley and Ben Pierce discuss the Tampa Bay Lightning's possible playoff opponents and look at the final 2 regular season games. They talk about Lightning players up for awards, give their favorite moments of the season and their weekly +/- segment. Into The Blue is presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Pierce and Gabby Shirley recap the Tampa Bay Lightning clinching a playoff berth for the 9th straight season, a look at Darren Raddysh's breakout season, previewing this final 4-game road trip, favorable playoff matchups and Darren Raddsyh's upcoming contract. Into The Blue is presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Pierce is joined for former Tampa Bay Lightning captain and Stanley Cup Champion Dave Andreychuk to discuss the current run the team is on, looking ahead to the playoffs, the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the Bolts, 3 more games on this home stand, John Tortorella taking over in Vegas and which Lightning player plays the most like Dave. Into The Blue is presented by Penelope Bourbon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.