My first trip to Amalie Arena was on Thursday night, and the occasion was the first preseason game of the year. My tour guide told me that there would be murals, and we looked for them before the game started. And the statues. And we people-watched and had a beer at the Cigar City Brewing Company while we waited to go in. It was a fun place to kill time.
Phil Esposito. I remembered the name, much to my friend’s surprise, but I had no idea that he was responsible for bringing hockey to Tampa.The cup, of course.I was told that ordinarily the area outside the arena would be packed with people. It was pleasantly busy while we enjoyed a beer.They honor their players well here.I liked these murals also.The caption of the team.When my friend saw the hockey bag he knew that this kid would be the one to skate around the arena to rev up the crowd before the first puck drop. So I got behind a plant and took a picture.The Lightning Bug, beating the drum to count down the seconds until the doors opened and the season began.Championship flags…And here’s our skater, doing a good job of getting the crowd excited.And this little cutie pushed the button for the first puck drop.
I enjoyed the whole experience. The music they played, the fans dancing in their seats, all shown on the Jumbotron. It probably is something that all the arenas do to entertain their crowds, but it was all new to me and I had fun. It would have been better if the Lightning had won the game, but they didn’t.
A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens 