Arena scorer bias · Tampa Bay Lightning
Benchmark International Arena: how its scorers counted hits
In 2023-24 the Benchmark International Arena crew credited 17% more hits than Lightning road games (raw), ranking 4 of 32 after shrinkage (1.10). With central recording, the 2025-26 factor is 1.00: in that season the building did not change the count.
Benchmark International Arena: hits and blocks factor by season
Solid = shrunk factor we use, dashed = raw home ÷ road ratio; 1.00 = neutral
Benchmark International Arena hits factor by season (shrunk): 2017-18 0.96, 2018-19 0.94, 2019-20 0.94, 2020-21 0.93, 2021-22 1.26, 2022-23 1.41, 2023-24 1.10, 2024-25 1.02, 2025-26 1.00.
- Hits (shrunk)
- Hits (raw)
- Blocks (shrunk)
Every stat, every season
| Season | Hits | Blocked shots | Giveaways | Takeaways | Missed shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1.00 (1.01) | 1.00 (1.05) | 1.00 (0.96) | 1.00 (0.97) | 1.00 (1.00) |
| 2024-25 | 1.02 (1.05) | 1.00 (1.01) | 1.00 (1.05) | 1.00 (1.03) | 0.98 (0.95) |
| 2023-24 | 1.10 (1.17) | 1.00 (0.99) | 0.76 (0.72) | 0.97 (0.96) | 0.97 (0.95) |
| 2022-23 | 1.41 (1.56) | 0.97 (0.94) | 0.94 (0.91) | 1.31 (1.45) | 1.01 (1.02) |
| 2021-22 | 1.26 (1.42) | 0.88 (0.83) | 0.55 (0.36) | 0.94 (0.90) | 0.97 (0.96) |
| 2020-21 | 0.93 (0.90) | 0.92 (0.83) | 0.47 (0.16) | 0.59 (0.45) | 0.84 (0.76) |
| 2019-20 | 0.94 (0.92) | 0.86 (0.82) | 0.60 (0.52) | 0.97 (0.96) | 0.93 (0.85) |
| 2018-19 | 0.94 (0.92) | 0.95 (0.94) | 0.65 (0.60) | 0.94 (0.92) | 0.95 (0.93) |
| 2017-18 | 0.96 (0.95) | 0.95 (0.93) | 0.77 (0.74) | 0.93 (0.91) | 0.96 (0.94) |
Lightning hits and blocks in 2025-26
The Lightning have absorbed 22.3 hits per game (#6 in the league), delivered 20.0, and blocked 12.3 of the 52.4 shot attempts they face per game, over 82 games. Their own shots hit a teammate 1.4 times a game; the play-by-play logs those as blocked shots but nobody is credited. Opponents facing a team that absorbs many hits get a higher hit environment in Hits tonight.
Lightning hitters at home vs on the road, 2025-26
*Home rate ÷ road rate, divided by the league's home edge that season (1.04×). Above 1 means he is credited more at home than an average player. Central recording season: differences here are role and opponents, not the scorer. A player traded during the season is listed under his last team with his full-season totals.
| Player | GP | Hits | Adjusted | Home /60 | Road /60 | Home vs road* | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zemgus GirgensonsC | 74 | 195 | 195 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 0.95× | – |
| Yanni GourdeC | 82 | 115 | 115 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 1.16× | – |
| Erik CernakD | 61 | 112 | 112 | 7.0 | 5.6 | 1.20× | – |
| Charle-Edouard D'AstousD | 70 | 96 | 96 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 1.06× | – |
| Emil LillebergD | 50 | 96 | 96 | 7.1 | 6.2 | 1.10× | – |
| Oliver BjorkstrandR | 80 | 85 | 85 | 3.9 | 5.4 | 0.69× | – |
| Gage GoncalvesC | 74 | 85 | 85 | 6.3 | 3.9 | 1.56× | – |
| Nick PaulL | 51 | 75 | 75 | 7.1 | 5.9 | 1.16× | – |
| Darren RaddyshD | 73 | 67 | 67 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 0.69× | – |
| Pontus HolmbergR | 70 | 66 | 66 | 5.3 | 3.2 | 1.59× | – |
| Scott SabourinR | 26 | 63 | 63 | 18.8 | 17.7 | 1.02× | – |
| J.J. MoserD | 79 | 61 | 61 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.27× | – |
| Dominic JamesC | 43 | 58 | 58 | 5.9 | 7.5 | 0.75× | – |
| Declan CarlileD | 42 | 51 | 51 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 1.22× | – |
| Anthony CirelliC | 71 | 50 | 50 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 0.70× | – |
Lightning hitters at home vs on the road, 2023-24
*Home rate ÷ road rate, divided by the league's home edge that season (1.04×). Above 1 means he is credited more at home than an average player. A player traded during the season is listed under his last team with his full-season totals.
| Player | GP | Hits | Adjusted | Home /60 | Road /60 | Home vs road* | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanner JeannotL | 55 | 211 | 202 | 16.1 | 22.1 | 0.70× | – |
| Mathew DumbaD | 76 | 202 | 193 | 9.5 | 6.7 | 1.38× | – |
| Erik CernakD | 69 | 198 | 187 | 10.6 | 7.5 | 1.36× | – |
| Michael EyssimontC | 81 | 134 | 128 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 1.02× | – |
| Luke GlendeningC | 81 | 121 | 114 | 9.7 | 5.9 | 1.59× | – |
| Emil LillebergD | 37 | 105 | 99 | 12.7 | 8.0 | 1.53× | – |
| Nick PaulL | 82 | 104 | 98 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 0.71× | – |
| Tyler MotteC | 69 | 97 | 91 | 8.3 | 5.3 | 1.50× | – |
| Calvin de HaanD | 59 | 96 | 92 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 0.89× | – |
| Mitchell ChaffeeR | 30 | 88 | 83 | 17.4 | 13.4 | 1.25× | – |
| Austin WatsonL | 33 | 85 | 81 | 20.5 | 22.0 | 0.90× | – |
| Nick PerbixD | 77 | 80 | 75 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 1.13× | – |
| Steven StamkosC | 79 | 78 | 73 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.82× | – |
| Darren RaddyshD | 82 | 75 | 70 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 1.19× | – |
| Victor HedmanD | 78 | 65 | 62 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.21× | – |
FAQ
Does Benchmark International Arena inflate hits?
In 2023-24, the last season with arena crews whose habits repeated, Benchmark International Arena credited 10% more hits than Tampa Bay Lightning road games after shrinkage. In 2025-26, with central recording, its factor is 1.00.
Should I adjust Tampa Bay Lightning players' hits for their arena?
Mainly for seasons up to 2023-24. After the NHL centralised event recording in 2024-25 the factors shrank to within about ±6%, and in 2025-26 they were 1.00 everywhere, so current hits need no adjustment. Use the adjusted hits leaderboard for older seasons.