Today the Lightning released their 2015-16 schedule.
Tampa Bay starts the season at home October 8 against the Flyers, then go on a three game road trip to Buffalo, Boston and Detroit. The Bolts play 11 of the first 16 games on the road. Tampa Bay plays 11 back-to-back games. The big Western swing through Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Denver will occur in January. The Bolts finish season with four straight road games in seven days against Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Canadiens because Amalie Arena is the site for the Frozen Four tournament. The Stanley Cup final rematch is October 24 in Chicago, the night after a game in Winnipeg.
Via the Lightning’s website:
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced their 82-game regular season schedule for the 2015-16 season today. The Lightning’s season will open on October 8 as the Bolts raise their Eastern Conference Championship banner when they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Amalie Arena. After the home opener Tampa Bay will hit the road for a three-game trip.
Tampa Bay will play each of its Atlantic Division opponents four times, two at home and two on the road, with the exception of the Toronto Maple Leafs (two home, three away) and the Florida Panthers (three home, two away). It will have rematches of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 24 at United Center and January 21 at Amalie Arena.
The Lightning will again play each of their non-division opponents within the Eastern Conference three times, including two match-ups at home against the New York Rangers, who the Bolts defeated to win the Eastern Conference Championship last season. Tampa Bay will also play the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins on two occasions at Amalie Arena. The Lightning will once again play two games, one at home and one on the road, against each Western Conference team.
At Amalie Arena
The Lightning will play eight home games during the month of March, more than any other month. With the exception of April (just five games total), Tampa Bay will play their least number of home games in October, with just five of 12 contests being held at Amalie Arena. The Bolts will hold two season-long home stands of six games from December 20 through January 2 and March 22 until April 2.
On the Road
The Bolts’ longest trip of the season will be four games, which they will have on six occasions. They will also have three trips with three games, two with two and four with just one. The Lightning will play seven of their first 10 games away from Amalie Arena. They will finish the season with four games on the road, ending 2015-16 in Montreal on April 9.
Back-to-Back
The Lightning will play 13 sets of back-to-back games in 2015-16, including one in which both games will be hosted at Amalie Arena (March 25 vs. NY Islanders & March 26 vs. Florida). The Bolts will play a total of nine times with both back-to-back games being played on the road, once with the first game being played at home and twice with the first on the road. Tampa Bay will play three sets of back-to-back games during February.
The Lightning will pause from January 28 through February 2 for the NHL All-Star break. The NHL’s mid-season showcase will be held January 30-31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Fast Facts
• February and March are the Lightning’s busiest months with 14 games each
• Tampa Bay’s final 10 games will be played against teams from Eastern Conference
• Five of the Lightning’s first six games will come against teams that failed to make the playoffs in 2014-15
• The Bolts will have completed 27 percent of their road schedule by November 7
• Tampa Bay will play 15 of their final 25 games away from Amalie Arena
• The Lightning will play 26 home games between November 10 and February 18, 63 percent of their home schedule
• The Bolts will play seven of their 11 games during the month of January against teams from the Western Conference
Full Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent |
| Thu., Oct 8 | 7:30 | Philadelphia |
| Sat., Oct 10 | 1:00 | at Buffalo |
| Mon., Oct 12 | 1:00 | at Boston |
| Tue., Oct 13 | 7:30 | at Detroit |
| Thu., Oct 15 | 7:30 | Dallas |
| Sat., Oct 17 | 7:00 | Buffalo |
| Tue., Oct 20 | 8:00 | at Nashville |
| Fri., Oct 23 | 8:00 | at Winnipeg |
| Sat., Oct 24 | 8:30 | at Chicago |
| Tue., Oct 27 | 8:00 | at St. Louis |
| Thu., Oct 29 | 7:30 | Colorado |
| Sat., Oct 31 | 7:00 | Boston |
| Sun., Nov 1 | 5:00 | at Carolina |
| Tue., Nov 3 | 7:30 | at Detroit |
| Thu., Nov 5 | 7:00 | at Buffalo |
| Sat., Nov 7 | 8:00 | at Minnesota |
| Tue., Nov 10 | 7:30 | Buffalo |
| Thu., Nov 12 | 7:30 | Calgary |
| Sat., Nov 14 | 7:00 | Florida |
| Mon., Nov 16 | 7:30 | at Florida |
| Thu., Nov 19 | 7:30 | N.Y. Rangers |
| Sat., Nov 21 | 7:00 | Anaheim |
| Wed., Nov 25 | 7:30 | Los Angeles |
| Fri., Nov 27 | 5:00 | at Washington |
| Sat., Nov 28 | 7:00 | N.Y. Islanders |
| Wed., Dec 2 | 10:30 | at Anaheim |
| Sat., Dec 5 | 10:30 | at San Jose |
| Sun., Dec 6 | 10:00 | at Los Angeles |
| Thu., Dec 10 | 7:30 | Ottawa |
| Sat., Dec 12 | 7:00 | Washington |
| Mon., Dec 14 | 7:00 | at Columbus |
| Tue., Dec 15 | 7:30 | at Toronto |
| Fri., Dec 18 | 7:00 | at Washington |
| Sun., Dec 20 | 5:00 | Ottawa |
| Tue., Dec 22 | 7:30 | Vancouver |
| Sat., Dec 26 | 7:00 | Columbus |
| Mon., Dec 28 | 7:30 | Montreal |
| Wed., Dec 30 | 8:00 | N.Y. Rangers |
| Sat., Jan 2 | 7:00 | Minnesota |
| Tue., Jan 5 | 9:00 | at Calgary |
| Fri., Jan 8 | 9:00 | at Edmonton |
| Sat., Jan 9 | 10:00 | at Vancouver |
| Tue., Jan 12 | 9:00 | at Colorado |
| Fri., Jan 15 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh |
| Sun., Jan 17 | 5:00 | Florida |
| Tue., Jan 19 | 7:30 | Edmonton |
| Thu., Jan 21 | 7:30 | Chicago |
| Sat., Jan 23 | 7:00 | at Florida |
| Wed., Jan 27 | 7:00 | Toronto |
| Wed., Feb 3 | 8:00 | Detroit |
| Fri., Feb 5 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh |
| Mon., Feb 8 | 7:30 | at Ottawa |
| Tue., Feb 9 | 7:30 | at Montreal |
| Fri., Feb 12 | 7:30 | Nashville |
| Sun., Feb 14 | 6:00 | St. Louis |
| Tue., Feb 16 | 7:30 | San Jose |
| Thu., Feb 18 | 7:30 | Winnipeg |
| Sat., Feb 20 | 12:30 | at Pittsburgh |
| Sun., Feb 21 | 7:00 | at Carolina |
| Tue., Feb 23 | 7:30 | Arizona |
| Fri., Feb 26 | 7:00 | at New Jersey |
| Sun., Feb 28 | 6:30 | at Boston |
| Mon., Feb 29 | 7:30 | at Toronto |
| Thu., Mar 3 | 7:30 | at Ottawa |
| Sat., Mar 5 | 7:00 | Carolina |
| Mon., Mar 7 | 7:00 | at Philadelphia |
| Tue., Mar 8 | 7:30 | Boston |
| Fri., Mar 11 | 7:30 | Philadelphia |
| Sun., Mar 13 | 3:00 | at Columbus |
| Tue., Mar 15 | 7:30 | at Toronto |
| Thu., Mar 17 | 8:30 | at Dallas |
| Sat., Mar 19 | 9:00 | at Arizona |
| Tue., Mar 22 | 7:30 | Detroit |
| Fri., Mar 25 | 7:30 | N.Y. Islanders |
| Sat., Mar 26 | 7:00 | Florida |
| Mon., Mar 28 | 7:30 | Toronto |
| Thu., Mar 31 | 7:30 | Montreal |
| Sat., Apr 2 | 7:00 | New Jersey |
| Mon., Apr 4 | 7:00 | at N.Y. Islanders |
| Tue., Apr 5 | 7:00 | at N.Y. Rangers |
| Thu., Apr 7 | 7:00 | at New Jersey |
| Sat., Apr 9 | 7:00 | at Montreal |
Follow me on Twitter @LightningShout and please “like” LightningShout on Facebook. You can email us at [email protected].
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
