Will players need to prepare differently for the outdoor environment?<\/p>\n
Most of the adjustments are in the sharpening of the skates. Puck bounces and ice quality will simply be different in any outdoor environment. Depending on how hard or soft the ice is, the equipment managers could play a crucial role in the game.<\/p>\n
Is there a forecast for the game yet?<\/p>\n
Early models suggest a high of 65\u02da and a low of 50\u02da on that Sunday, which coincidentally, is a similar forecast to very first Stadium Series game between the Kings and Ducks at Dodger Stadium. I was at that game. And while it\u2019s not nearly as humid there, the playing conditions that night didn\u2019t look too far off from what you might see at nearby Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena).<\/p>\n
Does Tampa have a history of cooler weather around this time?<\/p>\n
The calendrical benchmark that almost all locals will use for this answer is Gasparilla, which falls on the Saturday before the big game. There have been beautiful, T-shirt weather Gasparillas. There have been freezing, hoodie-up Gasparillas. The league and the city have taken great strides in preparing for both scenarios.<\/p>\n
How did the Lightning and City of Tampa pitch all this to the league?<\/p>\n
They put a pitch in a Yeti cooler, filled it with ice and added a note that said, \u201cWe can keep ice cold here in Florida all year long.\u201d True story<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tell me more about this Gasparilla thing.<\/p>\n Ah, yes. The Gasparilla Pirate Festival<\/a> is an annual parade commemorating Tampa\u2019s expansive history of pirate lore\u2014Jose Gaspar in particular. Hundreds of vessels take to the waters of Tampa Bay to invade the city, led by one enormous, honest-to-god pirate ship. Once this invasion captures the key from the mayor, hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to celebrate\u2014mostly dressed as pirates\u2014as parade floats line Bayshore and make their way into downtown Tampa. People look forward to it like Christmas around here. And the Lightning\u2019s own alumnus Pat Maroon\u2014who did much of Tuesday\u2019s pregame show with a parrot on his shoulder<\/a>\u2014is the Grand Marshall of this year\u2019s event. I, myself, watched three Pirates of the Caribbean movies this past weekend to get into the spirit of things.<\/p>\n I\u2019m sorry, but that all sounds\u2014<\/p>\n Absurd, yes. But it is also a true, one-of-a-kind spectacle of a day. If you\u2019re in town for the game, I highly recommend catching a glimpse on Saturday.<\/p>\n Any other events or concerts surrounding the Stadium Series game that weekend?<\/p>\n Big time.<\/p>\n On Friday, January 30, shirtless wonder and Tampa native Bert Kreischer<\/a> will bring his standup comedy chops to Benchmark International Arena. Then on Saturday after the parade, rock and roll giants Kings of Leon<\/a> will take the same stage.<\/p>\n