The Tampa Bay Lightning will play six preseason games in 2010, including one at the St. Pete Times Forum.  Highlights of the schedule include a match-up with the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on September 22 as well as a home-and-home series with the Florida Panthers on October 1 and 2.  Prices and a ticket on-sale date for the preseason game at the St. Pete Times Forum will be announced at a later time. All full season ticket holders will receive the game as part of their ticket plan free of charge.

The Lightning will open the 2010 preseason on Tuesday, September 21 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas against the Stars.  The team will then head to Winnipeg for a showdown with the Blackhawks, marking the second consecutive year Tampa Bay has played at the MTS Centre.  The Bolts will then play in Edmonton, Alberta when they take on the Oilers at Rexall Place on September 23 before continuing the preseason on September 25 against the Calgary Flames at the Pengrowth Saddledome.  The Lightning will then return to Florida to take on the Panthers in Sunrise on October 1 and play their only home game of the preseason against Florida on October 2. 

This year will mark the sixth time in the previous five years the Lightning will take on the Dallas Stars.  Conversely, 2010 will mark the first time in franchise history the Bolts will play the Blackhawks, Oilers and Flames during the exhibition season.  It will also be the first time since 2005 that the Lightning and Panthers will square off during the preseason.

The following is the schedule of games for the Lightning’s 2010 preseason:

Date                               Time           Venue                                             Opponent

Tuesday, September 21         8:30 p.m.    American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)        Dallas Stars

Wednesday, September 22     8 p.m.        MTS Centre (Winnipeg, MB)                    Chicago Blackhawks

Thursday, September 23       9 p.m.        Rexall Place (Edmonton, AB)                  Edmonton Oilers

Saturday, September 25         9 p.m.        Pengrowth Saddledome (Calbary, AB)        Calgary Flames

Friday, October 1                 7:30 p.m.    BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise, FL)              Florida Panthers

Saturday, October 2             7:30 p.m.    St. Pete Times Forum (Tampa, FL)            Florida Panthers