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Tough slate for Lightning

Tampa Bay faces a rugged start to the 2001-02 season, but could benefit as the schedule winds down.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 12, 2001

Complete schedule for 2001-2 season

If the Lightning is to get off to a good start next season, the team will have to do it against opponents and in venues that have been troublesome in the past.

That's the bad news for Tampa Bay in the 82-game schedule announced Wednesday.

The good news: If the team accomplishes its goal of playing meaningful games in March, it will play most of them at the Ice Palace.

"If we play as well as we think we should," team president Ron Campbell said, "it should be to our advantage."

Tampa Bay plays 10 of 15 March games at home, and 15 of its last 24. But that comes after a schedule that will test its mettle and conditioning.

The Lightning starts the season with home games Oct. 5 against the Islanders and Oct. 7 against the Panthers, but then plays road games against the Sharks, Kings, Mighty Ducks and defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche.

That is problematic for two reasons. The Lightning was 7-28-3-3 away from home last season and 5-15-1-1 against the West.

There is a five-game road trip against Eastern Conference teams that ends Nov. 6. But that will be a breeze compared with a stretch from Nov. 21 to Jan. 6 in which Tampa Bay plays 15 of 22 games away from home.

"There's an imbalance of road and home games," general manager Rick Dudley said. "Obviously, you don't want to be in a situation where you have to catch up."

Campbell said early road trips have advantages.

"The positive is it brings the team closer together," he said. "You go on the road, you're in the hotel and traveling together. It builds chemistry."

Also noteworthy:

Two home games conflict with Bucs home games -- Oct. 7 when the Lightning faces Florida and the Bucs face the Packers, and Dec. 29 when the Lightning faces the Bruins and the Bucs finish their regular season against the Ravens.

Of 41 home games, 21 will be played on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The Lightning continues what it hopes will become a New Year's Eve tradition with a home game against the Maple Leafs.

The home schedule ends April 12 against the Islanders. The season ends April 14 at Florida.

The Lightning plays each team in the Southeast Division -- the Panthers, Hurricanes, Capitals and Thrashers -- five times. It plays other Eastern Conference teams four times each, and Western Conference teams one or two times each.

All teams visit the Ice Palace except the Avalanche, Wild, Canucks and Coyotes.

The Lightning faces the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Blues, Avalanche, Wild, Canucks, Coyotes and Stars only once.

The league will halt play from Feb. 15-25 so its players can participate in the Salt Lake City Olympics. The Lightning will not play from Feb. 12-25, returning to face Detroit on Feb. 26 at the Ice Palace.

The schedule still may be tweaked.

Campbell said the 7 p.m. start time of the Dec. 29 game against the Bruins likely will be changed so as not to conflict with the 9 p.m. start of the Bucs game.

The team also may set uniform start times for four Sunday home games in March and April.

One thing, though, will remain the same.

"I think from a competitive point of view," Campbell said, "we've got 41 home games and 41 away."

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