Tampa Bay Lightning announce 2015-16 schedule
TAMPA BAY -- The Tampa Bay Lightning announced their 82-game regular season schedule for the 2015-16 season Thursday. 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.
Fans can catch all the action and watch the Bolts defend their Eastern Conference Championship in 2015-16 by becoming a Lightning Season Ticket Member. Hockey fans looking to purchase new season tickets are encouraged to visit bethethunder.com or call the Lightning sales team at 813.301.6600.
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.
Monthly Breakdown
Month: Home-Away-Total
October: 5-7-12
November: 7-6-13
December: 7-6-13
January: 6-5-11
February: 7-7-14
March: 8-6-14
April: 1-4-5
Breakdown by Day
Day: Home-Away-Total
Sunday: 3-5-8
Monday: 2-7-9
Tuesday: 7-10-17
Wednesday: 4-1-5
Thursday: 9-4-13
Friday: 5-5-10
Saturday: 11-9-20
All-Star Break
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
2015-16 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Opponent | Date | Time | Opponent | |
| Thu., Oct 8 | 7:30 | Philadelphia | Sat., Jan 9 | 10:00 | @ Vancouver | |
| Sat., Oct 10 | 1:00 | @ Buffalo | Tue., Jan 12 | 9:00 | @ Colorado | |
| Mon., Oct 12 | 1:00 | @ Boston | Fri., Jan 15 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh | |
| Tue., Oct 13 | 7:30 | @ Detroit | Sun., Jan 17 | 5:00 | Florida | |
| Thu., Oct 15 | 7:30 | Dallas | Tue., Jan 19 | 7:30 | Edmonton | |
| Sat., Oct 17 | 7:00 | Buffalo | Thu., Jan 21 | 7:30 | Chicago | |
| Tue., Oct 20 | 8:00 | @ Nashville | Sat., Jan 23 | 7:00 | @ Florida | |
| Fri., Oct 23 | 8:00 | @ Winnipeg | Wed., Jan 27 | 7:00 | Toronto | |
| Sat., Oct 24 | 8:30 | @ Chicago | Wed., Feb 3 | 8:00 | Detroit | |
| Tue., Oct 27 | 8:00 | @ St. Louis | Fri., Feb 5 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh | |
| Thu., Oct 29 | 7:30 | Colorado | Mon., Feb 8 | 7:30 | @ Ottawa | |
| Sat., Oct 31 | 7:00 | Boston | Tue., Feb 9 | 7:30 | @ Montreal | |
| Sun., Nov 1 | 5:00 | @ Carolina | Fri., Feb 12 | 7:30 | Nashville | |
| Tue., Nov 3 | 7:30 | @ Detroit | Sun., Feb 14 | 6:00 | St. Louis | |
| Thu., Nov 5 | 7:00 | @ Buffalo | Tue., Feb 16 | 7:30 | San Jose | |
| Sat., Nov 7 | 8:00 | @ Minnesota | Thu., Feb 18 | 7:30 | Winnipeg | |
| Tue., Nov 10 | 7:30 | Buffalo | Sat., Feb 20 | 12:30 | @ Pittsburgh | |
| Thu., Nov 12 | 7:30 | Calgary | Sun., Feb 21 | 7:00 | @ Carolina | |
| Sat., Nov 14 | 7:00 | Florida | Tue., Feb 23 | 7:30 | Arizona | |
| Mon., Nov 16 | 7:30 | @ Florida | Fri., Feb 26 | 7:00 | @ New Jersey | |
| Thu., Nov 19 | 7:30 | N.Y. Rangers | Sun., Feb 28 | 6:30 | @ Boston | |
| Sat., Nov 21 | 7:00 | Anaheim | Mon., Feb 29 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | |
| Wed., Nov 25 | 7:30 | Los Angeles | Thu., Mar 3 | 7:30 | @ Ottawa | |
| Fri., Nov 27 | 5:00 | @ Washington | Sat., Mar 5 | 7:00 | Carolina | |
| Sat., Nov 28 | 7:00 | N.Y. Islanders | Mon., Mar 7 | 7:00 | @ Philadelphia | |
| Wed., Dec 2 | 10:30 | @ Anaheim | Tue., Mar 8 | 7:30 | Boston | |
| Sat., Dec 5 | 10:30 | @ San Jose | Fri., Mar 11 | 7:30 | Philadelphia | |
| Sun., Dec 6 | 10:00 | @ Los Angeles | Sun., Mar 13 | 3:00 | @ Columbus | |
| Thu., Dec 10 | 7:30 | Ottawa | Tue., Mar 15 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | |
| Sat., Dec 12 | 7:00 | Washington | Thu., Mar 17 | 8:30 | @ Dallas | |
| Mon., Dec 14 | 7:00 | @ Columbus | Sat., Mar 19 | 9:00 | @ Arizona | |
| Tue., Dec 15 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | Tue., Mar 22 | 7:30 | Detroit | |
| Fri., Dec 18 | 7:00 | @ Washington | Fri., Mar 25 | 7:30 | N.Y. Islanders | |
| Sun., Dec 20 | 5:00 | Ottawa | Sat., Mar 26 | 7:00 | Florida | |
| Tue., Dec 22 | 7:30 | Vancouver | Mon., Mar 28 | 7:30 | Toronto | |
| Sat., Dec 26 | 7:00 | Columbus | Thu., Mar 31 | 7:30 | Montreal | |
| Mon., Dec 28 | 7:30 | Montreal | Sat., Apr 2 | 7:00 | New Jersey | |
| Wed., Dec 30 | 8:00 | N.Y. Rangers | Mon., Apr 4 | 7:00 | @ N.Y. Islanders | |
| Sat., Jan 2 | 7:00 | Minnesota | Tue., Apr 5 | 7:00 | @ N.Y. Rangers | |
| Tue., Jan 5 | 9:00 | @ Calgary | Thu., Apr 7 | 7:00 | @ New Jersey | |
| Fri., Jan 8 | 9:00 | @ Edmonton | Sat., Apr 9 | 7:00 | @ Montreal |
*All Times Eastern
2015-16 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING HOME AND ROAD BREAKDOWN
| HOME GAMES | ROAD GAMES | |||||
| Date | Time | Opponent | Date | Time | Opponent | |
| Thu., Oct 8 | 7:30 | Philadelphia | Sat., Oct 10 | 1:00 | @ Buffalo | |
| Thu., Oct 15 | 7:30 | Dallas | Mon., Oct 12 | 1:00 | @ Boston | |
| Sat., Oct 17 | 7:00 | Buffalo | Tue., Oct 13 | 7:30 | @ Detroit | |
| Thu., Oct 29 | 7:30 | Colorado | Tue., Oct 20 | 8:00 | @ Nashville | |
| Sat., Oct 31 | 7:00 | Boston | Fri., Oct 23 | 8:00 | @ Winnipeg | |
| Tue., Nov 10 | 7:30 | Buffalo | Sat., Oct 24 | 8:30 | @ Chicago | |
| Thu., Nov 12 | 7:30 | Calgary | Tue., Oct 27 | 8:00 | @ St. Louis | |
| Sat., Nov 14 | 7:00 | Florida | Sun., Nov 1 | 5:00 | @ Carolina | |
| Thu., Nov 19 | 7:30 | N.Y. Rangers | Tue., Nov 3 | 7:30 | @ Detroit | |
| Sat., Nov 21 | 7:00 | Anaheim | Thu., Nov 5 | 7:00 | @ Buffalo | |
| Wed., Nov 25 | 7:30 | Los Angeles | Sat., Nov 7 | 8:00 | @ Minnesota | |
| Sat., Nov 28 | 7:00 | N.Y. Islanders | Mon., Nov 16 | 7:30 | @ Florida | |
| Thu., Dec 10 | 7:30 | Ottawa | Fri., Nov 27 | 5:00 | @ Washington | |
| Sat., Dec 12 | 7:00 | Washington | Wed., Dec 2 | 10:30 | @ Anaheim | |
| Sun., Dec 20 | 5:00 | Ottawa | Sat., Dec 5 | 10:30 | @ San Jose | |
| Tue., Dec 22 | 7:30 | Vancouver | Sun., Dec 6 | 10:00 | @ Los Angeles | |
| Sat., Dec 26 | 7:00 | Columbus | Mon., Dec 14 | 7:00 | @ Columbus | |
| Mon., Dec 28 | 7:30 | Montreal | Tue., Dec 15 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | |
| Wed., Dec 30 | 8:00 | N.Y. Rangers | Fri., Dec 18 | 7:00 | @ Washington | |
| Sat., Jan 2 | 7:00 | Minnesota | Tue., Jan 5 | 9:00 | @ Calgary | |
| Fri., Jan 15 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh | Fri., Jan 8 | 9:00 | @ Edmonton | |
| Sun., Jan 17 | 5:00 | Florida | Sat., Jan 9 | 10:00 | @ Vancouver | |
| Tue., Jan 19 | 7:30 | Edmonton | Tue., Jan 12 | 9:00 | @ Colorado | |
| Thu., Jan 21 | 7:30 | Chicago | Sat., Jan 23 | 7:00 | @ Florida | |
| Wed., Jan 27 | 7:00 | Toronto | Mon., Feb 8 | 7:30 | @ Ottawa | |
| Wed., Feb 3 | 8:00 | Detroit | Tue., Feb 9 | 7:30 | @ Montreal | |
| Fri., Feb 5 | 7:30 | Pittsburgh | Sat., Feb 20 | 12:30 | @ Pittsburgh | |
| Fri., Feb 12 | 7:30 | Nashville | Sun., Feb 21 | 7:00 | @ Carolina | |
| Sun., Feb 14 | 6:00 | St. Louis | Fri., Feb 26 | 7:00 | @ New Jersey | |
| Tue., Feb 16 | 7:30 | San Jose | Sun., Feb 28 | 6:30 | @ Boston | |
| Thu., Feb 18 | 7:30 | Winnipeg | Mon., Feb 29 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | |
| Tue., Feb 23 | 7:30 | Arizona | Thu., Mar 3 | 7:30 | @ Ottawa | |
| Sat., Mar 5 | 7:00 | Carolina | Mon., Mar 7 | 7:00 | @ Philadelphia | |
| Tue., Mar 8 | 7:30 | Boston | Sun., Mar 13 | 3:00 | @ Columbus | |
| Fri., Mar 11 | 7:30 | Philadelphia | Tue., Mar 15 | 7:30 | @ Toronto | |
| Tue., Mar 22 | 7:30 | Detroit | Thu., Mar 17 | 8:30 | @ Dallas | |
| Fri., Mar 25 | 7:30 | N.Y. Islanders | Sat., Mar 19 | 9:00 | @ Arizona | |
| Sat., Mar 26 | 7:00 | Florida | Mon., Apr 4 | 7:00 | @ N.Y. Islanders | |
| Mon., Mar 28 | 7:30 | Toronto | Tue., Apr 5 | 7:00 | @ N.Y. Rangers | |
| Thu., Mar 31 | 7:30 | Montreal | Thu., Apr 7 | 7:00 | @ New Jersey | |
| Sat., Apr 2 | 7:00 | New Jersey | Sat., Apr 9 | 7:00 | @ Montreal |
