Schedules still haven’t been released for the NHL’s 2012-2013 season, but during the day today many match-ups have leaked out, such as the Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Staples Center. Many of the other games that have been leaked had sounded lie they were squarely supposed to spark emotions and be rivalry games.
Which leads us to a tweet by The Buffalo News’ writer Mike Harrington:
Very possible these are Jan. 19 East games: OTT-WPG, BOS-NYR, MON-TOR, NJD-NYI, TB-FLA, PIT-PHL, WAS-CAR. #Sabres would be idle team
— Mike Harrington (@BNHarrington) January 10, 2013
Florida. In Sunrise, i would presume. And how fitting in a way, after all the NHL lockout cost both clubs the chance to renew their rivalry as early as the preseason. There were supposed to be nine total contests between the Lightning and Panthers when you included those practice contests in Tampa, in Sunrise, and the neutral site of Estero (home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades in southwest Florida, near Naples).
Everything will officially come out soon enough, and I’m more curious about the Lightning’s second game, as that will be captain Vincent Lecavalier’s 1,000th NHL game. That would be a great event to open the home schedule with at Times Palace.
