Tampa Bay Lightning Announce 2017-18 Schedule

TAMPA, FL – Almost 25 years to the day an expansion team shocked the hockey world by defeating the Stanley Cup runner-up in its first-ever game, the Tampa Bay Lightning will open their 2017-18 season at home.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced its schedule for the coming NHL season, which will start Friday, Oct. 6 against the Florida Panthers at Amalie Arena.

The eyes of the hockey world will be on Tampa, as the Lightning will host the NHL All-Star Game for the second time in franchise history. Tampa Bay last hosted the mid-season classic in 1999, and will once again welcome the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and the 2018 NHL All-Star Game during the weekend of Jan. 27-29.

The Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins will visit Amalie Arena twice in the first month of the season, including in the first week on Thursday, Oct. 12. The league’s newest team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, will visit Tampa Bay on Thursday, Jan. 18.

The Lightning will play each of their Atlantic Division opponents four times during the regular season, two at home and two on the road. Staying in the Eastern Conference, the Lightning play each Metropolitan Division opponent three times. The Bolts will also play each Western Conference opponent twice, once at home and once on the road.

Here is the full 2017-18 schedule for the Tampa Bay Lightning:

• Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m. vs Panthers
• Saturday, Oct., 7 7 p.m. @ Panthers
• Monday, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs Capitals
• Thursday, Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. vs Penguins
• Saturday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. vs Blues
• Monday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. @ Red Wings
• Tuesday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. @ Devils
• Thursday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m. @ Blue Jackets
• Saturday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m. vs Penguins
• Tuesday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. @ Hurricanes
• Thursday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs Red Wings
• Saturday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. vs Ducks
• Monday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m. @ Panthers
• Thursday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. vs Rangers
• Saturday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m. vs Blue Jackets
• Wednesday, Nov. 8, 10:30 p.m. @ Sharks
• Thursday, Nov. 9, 10:30 p.m. @ Kings
• Sunday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m. @ Ducks
• Thursday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs Stars
• Saturday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m. vs Islanders
• Wednesday, Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m. vs Blackhawks
• Friday, Nov. 24, 5 p.m. @ Capitals
• Saturday, Nov. 25, 7 p.m. @ Penguins
• Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m. @ Sabres
• Wednesday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. @ Bruins
• Saturday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m. vs Sharks
• Tuesday, Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m. vs Islanders
• Thursday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs Avalanche
• Saturday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m. vs Jets
• Tuesday, Dec. 12, 8 p.m. @ Blues
• Thursday, Dec. 14, 9 p.m. @ Coyotes
• Saturday, Dec. 16, 9 p.m. @ Avalanche
• Tuesday, Dec. 19, 10 p.m. @ Golden Knights
• Thursday, Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs Senators
• Saturday, Dec. 23, 7 p.m. vs Wild
• Thursday, Dec 28, 7:30 p.m. vs Canadiens
• Friday, Dec. 29 7:30 p.m. vs Flyers
• Sunday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m. @ Blue Jackets
• Tuesday, Jan. 2, 7 p.m. @ Maple Leafs
• Thursday, Jan. 4, 7:30 p.m. @ Canadiens
• Saturday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m. @ Senators
• Sunday, Jan. 7, 7 p.m. @ Red Wings
• Tuesday, Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs Hurricanes
• Thursday, Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m. vs Flames
• Thu Jan 18 7:30 p.m. vs Golden Knights
• Sat Jan 20 9:00 p.m. @ Wild
• Mon Jan 22 8:30 p.m. @ Blackhawks
• Tuesday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m. @ Predators
• Thursday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m. @ Flyers
• Tuesday, Jan. 30, 8 p.m. @ Jets
• Thursday, Feb. 1, 9 p.m. @ Flames
• Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 p.m. @ Canucks
• Monday, Feb. 5, 9 p.m. @ Oilers
• Thursday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. vs Canucks
• Saturday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m. vs Kings
• Monday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. @ Maple Leafs
• Tuesday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. @ Sabres
• Thursday, Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m. vs Red Wings
• Saturday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. vs Devils
• Tuesday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. @ Capitals
• Thursday, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m. @ Senators
• Saturday, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. @ Canadiens
• Monday, Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs Maple Leafs
• Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. vs Sabres
• Thursday, March 1, 8:30 p.m. @ Stars
• Saturday, March 3, 1 p.m. vs Flyers
• Tuesday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. vs Panthers
• Thursday, March 8, 7:30 p.m. vs Rangers
• Saturday, March 10, 1 p.m. vs Canadiens
• Tuesday, March 13, 7:30 p.m. vs Senators
• Saturday, March 17, 7 p.m. vs Bruins
• Sunday, March 18, 5 p.m. vs Oilers
• Tuesday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. vs Maple Leafs
• Thursday, Mar 22, 7 p.m. @ Islanders
• Saturday, March 24, 7 p.m. @ Devils
• Monday, March 26, 7:30 p.m. vs Coyotes
• Thursday, March 29, 7 p.m. @ Bruins
• Friday, March 30, 7 p.m. @ Rangers
• Sunday, April 1, 6 p.m. vs Predators
• Tuesday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. vs Bruins
• Friday, April 6, 7:30 p.m. vs Sabres
• Saturday, April 7, 7 p.m. @ Hurricanes

Patch staff photo