Advertisement

Lightning Nuts & Bolts: Filppula's Cup capades; Bolts Family Carnival on Sunday

 
Valtteri Filppula, a Stanley Cup winner with the Red Wings, has an unusual Cup story.
Valtteri Filppula, a Stanley Cup winner with the Red Wings, has an unusual Cup story.
Published Jan. 18, 2015

Short shift with C Valtteri Filppula

Must-TiVo TV show: Suits

Last book you read: Dan Brown's Inferno

Where did you take the Stanley Cup after you won with the Red Wings in 2008? To a team I grew up playing with (in Finland) and had a big party with friends and family. Took it to the sauna; that's the oddest place I took the Cup. I had to bring it back (outside) to cool down every once in a while.

Favorite piece of memorabilia: Stanley Cup jersey. Got everybody to sign it.

Hobbies? I play a lot of tennis. I'm big into movies. Golf, too. I like skiing.

Top movie? Big fan of Godfather movies. Usual Suspects.

Lightning carnival

C Brian Boyle grew up one of 13 children in his large Irish-Catholic family, so it comes as a surprise he's never been to a carnival.

Today, Boyle (right) will be part of one. The Lightning holds its first Bolts Family Carnival from 1-5 p.m. at Amalie Arena.

Fans can participate with Lightning players, coaches and staff members in traditional carnival games. You can compete with captain Steven Stamkos in Wii video games (3-4 p.m.), take a shooting lesson with G Ben Bishop (3-4 p.m.), play air ice hockey with coach Jon Cooper (2-3 p.m.), put F Nikita Kucherov in the dunk tank (1-2 p.m.) or hit F Brett Connolly in the face with a pie (1-2 p.m.).

"It should be fun, obviously for a good cause," Connolly said. "I don't know how many pies to the face I can get in one day."

General admission tickets cost $15 for kids and between $30 and $40 for adults, with activity vouchers included in each. All proceeds go to the Lightning Foundation. For more information, go to boltsfamilycarnival.com.

The Lightning modeled it after carnivals the Bruins and Flyers have done.

"I would pay put a pie in Connolly's face," D Jason Garrison said. "And I'd pay to put someone in the dunk tank."

A 'different world

D Jason Garrison (below) got to present 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski with a Lightning jersey before Thursday's game against the Oilers as part of NASCAR's publicity tour for next month's Daytona 500.

Garrison said he's been to one NASCAR race, the Coke Zero 500 in Daytona. "It doesn't do it justice on TV at all," he said. "When you go there, you see how massive the track is, the sound of the cars. It's a different world."

Garrison also gained more respect for the drivers. "It's a tough grind, being out there for that long driving a car, going that fast and under that kind of pressure," he said. "It's pretty cool."

From the fans

For any player: What are you doing during this week's All-Star break?

LW Brenden Morrow: "My wife and I are going to Mexico with some ex-teammates and friends," including Brett Hull.

Have a question for a Lightning player? Tweet @TBTimes_JSmith or email joesmith@tampabay.com, and we'll answer them in Sunday papers.