The Tampa Bay Lightning did not have much of a chance to think about their preseason opener in Dallas tonight. After a morning practice in Brandon for the players not involved in the game, the team boarded a charter mid afternoon and arrived in Dallas just hours before game time. If the results are any indication, the team may make a habit of traveling day of game. The Lightning gave General Manager Steve Yzerman and head coach Guy Boucher their first franchise win Tuesday night, defeating the Stars 4-2.
Adam Hall, who is turning into the feel good story of camp, opened up the scoring at 4:44 of the first period. Dominic Moore gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead after two periods. After Dallas cut the lead to 2-1, Adam Hall struck again, extending the lead to 3-1. Again, the Stars cut the lead to 3-2, before Mattias Ohlund gave the Lightning a two goal lead that would hold up. For Ohlund, it was his first goal in a Lightning jersey. In net, Dan Ellis played the entire game as expected, making 17 saves on 19 shots.
There will be no rest for the weary, as the team gets back on a plane and heads to Winnipeg to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday night, game time is at 8pm. It is likely that Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos, and Marty St. Louis will all see action.
While there is still plenty of work to be done, a win just builds to the optimism already in place.
Up Next
Tampa Bay Vs Chicago (In Winnipeg)
Wednesday, 8PM
TV: NHL Network
Radio: 1250 WHNZ
This article appears in Sep 16-22, 2010.