Lightning Open Training Camp; Tickets On Sale Monday

About 5,500 people showed up to see the Tampa Bay Lightning's first practice of the season.

With the salute of their sticks, the Tampa Bay Lightning thanked the estimated 5,500 fans at their first practice of the season Sunday afternoon, ready to play hockey. The Lightning opened up its training camp Sunday and decided to head to the Tampa Bay Times Forum to host the first one of the year instead of the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon to give fans some elbow room and plenty of things to do during a Fan Fest from getting autographs to snapping plenty of photos of the team fans missed. Single-game tickets go on sale today and the team is running a special offer through 11:59 p.m. Monday where they will waive the Ticketmaster fees by using the code FORUM when purchased online. The team was able to practice Sunday after the National …

• Photos (10)

What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Lightning Prepares to Hit the Ice

With an end to the NHL lockout in sight, will you be watching the Lightning play hockey this year?

The Tampa Bay Lightning are wasting no time preparing for what will be an abbreviated season thanks to the National Hockey League’s 100-plus-day lockout. The team announced that ice installation at the Tampa Bay Times Forum is scheduled for today. In fact, painting is expected to begin this afternoon. “The Times Forum staff began by laying down a base coat of ice this morning,” a Lightning media release stated. All of this is in preparation for what will now be an abbreviated season thanks to the negotiation breakdown between the players’ union and the league. The end of the lockout was announced on Sunday. While it remains unclear how many games will be a part of the shortened 2012-13 season or when games will officially start, the …

• Photos (1)