Game Marks Conclusion of Eastern European Trip


After dropping a hard-fought season opener to the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning look to bounce back today to close out the series with a victory.

The game will mark the conclusion of the Lightning’s extended eastern European trip, which saw them play two exhibition games and two regular season games while visiting Berlin, Germany, Bratslava, Slovakia, and Prague, Czech Republic.

Martin St. Louis, a former NHL MVP, owns the Lightning’s first goal of the season – a backhand tally off an assist by Lightning captain, Vincent Lecavalier.

Veteran netminder Olaf Kolzig, an important off-season Lightning acquisition, is scheduled to start in goal for Tampa Bay today. The start will mark the beginning of Kolzig’s 17th NHL season, all of which were spent with the Washington Capitals. Kolzig opens the season with a career 2.70 goals against average. He is a past Vezina Trophy winner, having nabbed the award which signifies the NHL’s best goalie, in 2000.

Following today’s game, the Lightning will return to Tampa to prepare for the season’s home opener, October 11th, vs. the Carolina Hurricanes.