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Paying a price for a winner on ice

It's bye-bye bargains as the Lightning goes on its quest for the Stanley Cup, but intrepid fans can find ticket relief.

TAMPA - No more two-for-one ticket bargains. No more freebies for Joe and Jane hockey fan.

The start of the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs marked the end of many of the Tampa Bay Lightning's discounted ticket deals.

That has left some Lightning supporters with a case of sticker shock. It has also left the Lightning with tickets for sale right up to game time.

About 1,500 seats went unsold for the first home game last Thursday. The second home game, on Saturday, sold out but only after a game-day rush. And there are still a few thousand tickets available for tonight's game.

Team president Ron Campbell said he thinks more fans will come out the deeper the team goes into the playoffs.

"I really do believe that we are a victim of our own aggressive marketing during the regular season," Campbell said. "We think the product on the ice is well worth the ticket price."

Most of the Lightning's single-game playoff tickets cost from $31.25 to more than $120. With taxes, the cheap tickets are $33. But during the regular season, those $31.25 seats cost $26.75, said team spokesman Bill Wickett. Promotions and package deals drove down the price even further.

The Lightning have about 1,000 of the $31.25 tickets, in the third level of the St. Pete Times Forum behind the goals. Some fans say the tickets are hard to get.

Wickett, the Lightning spokesman, said most of those tickets were sold as part of eight-game packages for the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Also, fans looking for $31.25 tickets will struggle to get two seats together. By Wednesday of this week, the Ticketmaster Web site indicated that tonight's game had no $31.25 seats side by side. There were $49 tickets available in groups of twos, threes and fours.

The Lightning's overall playoff ticket prices are below or similar to many other hockey teams.

The Detroit Red Wings, for example, are charging $70 to $140 for single-game tickets in the upper bowl of Joe Louis Arena, according to Ticketmaster. Lower bowl tickets cost between $140 and $160. Standing room goes for $75.

The New Jersey Devils are charging $35 for the cheapest single-game ticket, the Colorado Avalanche $34.

Lightning fans should also be prepared for higher prices to come. Like most NHL teams, the Lightning plans to increase the ticket prices if the team advances into the second round of the playoffs. Prices will go up about 25 percent for single-game tickets. The team has not yet set prices for the third and fourth round of the playoffs, Wickett said.

Season ticket and "mini plan" holders receive discounts on playoff tickets. Also, anyone who buys a season ticket package for next year can receive a discount on this year's playoff tickets.

The Lightning does offer about 200 tickets for $8 plus tax to each home game. The tickets are put on sale at the Times Forum at 9 a.m. the day of the game. Team officials say they are committed to the $8 promotion throughout the playoffs, even if game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals is played in Tampa.

Hockey franchises derive a much greater percentage of their revenue from ticket sales than professional football, basketball and baseball teams, all of which have much more lucrative television deals. For hockey owners, the revenues from playoff games are vital.

"We'd love to sell all the tickets for less, but the current business model won't allow that," Campbell said.

"To compete on the Stanley Cup stage, we have to compete financially as well. If you don't want to pay major league prices, you cannot compete with major league teams."

- Graham Brink can be reached at 813 226-3365 or brink@sptimes.com

WHAT: Lightning vs. Islanders, game 5, first round of Stanley Cup playoffs.

WHEN: 7:30 tonight.

WHERE: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa.

TICKETS: Tickets are available at the Lightning box office, ticketmaster.com, tampabaylightning.com, or by calling (813) 301-6600 or (813) 287-8844. Prices range from $33 to $120.50. There will also be 200 tickets for $8 plus tax available at the box office.