NHL: After winning the Stanley Cup, the lining season begins on a high note

Steven Stankos is definitely looking forward to coming back into the game, and the last Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, started their regular season strong.

The Central Division Lightning won the Chicago Blackhawks 5-1 in a duel.

Stankos, who played just one term in the Stanley Cup final against the Dallas Stars, is well on his way to a new season. He shone with one goal and two assists, helping to extend his team celebrations after hoisting the Champions banner.

Tampa was inspired at the start of the game with a team that had lost key elements to injury before the start of this season.

Ondrej Palat, Matthew Joseph and Anthony Cirelli hit the target in the first period for Tampa. After their captain net in the middle period, Brighton Point ended the night with a goal after a neat handover from Stamkos.

Dylan Storm missed Andrei Vasilevsky late in the game as he saved goalkeeper 22. Opposite him was Malcolm Subban, who scored five goals in 33 shots.

Lightning is back in competition without Nikita Kucherov, who has been sidelined for the entire season.