The Tampa Bay Lightning's 2009-10 schedule begins Oct. 3 at the Thrashers and includes 12 sets of back-to-back games. It also includes only seven games out of the eastern time zone and none after Dec. 18 at St. Louis. The Olympic break is from Feb. 15 through March 1. Here is the schedule. All times are eastern.

Oct. 3 at Atlanta 7:00        Jan. 6 at Buffalo 7:00

  6 at Carolina 7:00            8 at New Jersey 7:00
     8 New Jersey 7:30             9 at Philadelphia 7:00
     10 Carolina 7:30              12 Washington 7:30
     12 Florida 7:30               14 Florida 7:30
     15 at Ottawa 7:30             16 at Florida 7:00
     17 at Pittsburgh 7:30         18 at Carolina 7:00
     22 San Jose 7:30              19 at Rangers 7:00
     24 Buffalo 7:30               21 Toronto 7:00
     29 Ottawa 7:00                23 Atlanta 7:30
     31 New Jersey 3:00            27 Montreal 7:30
Nov. 2 at Philadelphia 7:00        29 Anaheim 7:30
     3 at Toronto 7:30             31 at Washington 3:00
     5 at Ottawa 7:30         Feb. 2 at Atlanta 7:00
     7 at Montreal 7:00            4 Islanders 7:30
     12 Minnesota 7:30             6 Calgary 7:00
     14 Los Angeles 7:30           9 Vancouver 7:30
     16 at Phoenix 9:00            11 Boston 7:30
     19 at Anaheim 10:00           13 at Islanders 2:00
     21 at Carolina 7:00           14 at Rangers 1:00
     22 at Atlanta 5:00      Mar.  2 Philadelphia 7:30
     25 Toronto 7:00               4 at Washington 7:00
     27 Rangers 7:30               6 Atlanta 7:30
     28 at Dallas 8:00             9 at Montreal 7:30
     30 Colorado 9:30              11 at Toronto 7:00
Dec. 2 at Boston 7:00              12 at Washington 7:00
     4 at New Jersey 7:00          14 Pittsburgh 5:00
     5 at Islanders 7:30           16 Phoenix 7:30
     7 Washington 7:30             18 Buffalo 7:30
     9 Edmonton 7:30               20 Washington 7:30
     11 at Colorado 9:00           21 at Florida 5:00
     13 at Chicago 7:00            23 Carolina 7:30
     15 at Nashville 8:00          25 at Boston 7:00
     17 at Detroit 7:30            27 at Buffalo 7:00
     18 at St. Louis 8:00          30 at Columbus 7:00
     21 at Islanders 7:00          31 at Pittsburgh 7:30
     23 Philadelphia 7:30    April 2 Rangers 7:30
     26 Atlanta 7:30               6 Carolina 7:30
     28 Boston 7:30                8 Ottawa 7:30
     30 Montreal 7:00              10 Florida 7:30
Jan. 2 Pittsburgh 3:00             11 at Florida 5:00