The team may be on the road for most of February, but the Lightning are making sure fans get their fill of the game. The Bolts will be hosting the second Hockey Day In Tampa on Sunday February 15 at Amalie Arena. It will be an all day celebration of local hockey starting at 8 a.m.. Last year’s event was a lot of fun and it looks like it has been expanded in a big way.
“Hockey Day celebrates and puts the spotlight on our great game at every level we touch in the Tampa Bay area,” said Lightning executive director of community hockey development Jay Feaster. “From youth to high school to adult, from ice to street to sled hockey, literally every program our Community Hockey Department interacts with during the year will be on display at Hockey Day. The fact that all of the proceeds will go to charity makes it even more special, and we are looking forward to an incredible day of hockey.”
Things will get underway on the plaza with a 30 team street hockey tournament. The USF Ice Bulls and University of Tampa Spartans will face each other as they take the ice for a regular season game inside Amalie Arena at 11:15.
One of the most eye opening parts of last year’s Hockey Day was the sled hockey game. Most of us have heard of it, but it was the first time many got to see it in person. The Lightning’s sled hockey team will face off against members of the Lightning Alumni like Dave Andreychuk, Jassen Cullimore, and US Olympian Anne Schleper. This is definitely worth a watch.
The Tampa Area High School All-Stars will participate in the Lightning Conference All-Star Game, where Bolts Stanley Cup winning coach John Tortorella will coach against Andreychuk. The game will be followed by the 2015 Battle of the Badges game featuring local firefighters and police officers. The day will culminate with a watch party as the Lightning take on the San Jose Sharks.
| EVENT | TIME |
| Street Hockey on Ford Thunder Alley | 8:00 AM |
| Doors Open | 10:15 AM |
| University of Tampa vs. USF | 11:15 AM |
| Sled Hockey | 1:45 PM |
| Lightning Conference All-Star Game | 3:15 PM |
| Battle of the Badges | 5:00 PM |
| Lightning Cup | 7:00 PM |
| Lightning vs. Sharks Watch Party | 8:30 PM |
Cost of the event is $10, with all proceeds going to the Sun Coast Law Enforcement Charities and the Lightning Foundation.
For more information, listen to Jay Feaster here.
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