Lightning Take Part in ‘Girls Play Hockey Weekend’
The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they will be participating in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s ‘2014 Girls’ Hockey Weekend.’ This Saturday (10/11) the Lightning will host the United States Women’s Ice Hockey team member and Silver-medalist, Anne (pronounced Annie) Schleper, who will be taking part in several events on Satuday and finishing up her weekend on Monday morning. On Monday, Anne will skate with Lightning players as they gear up to take on the Montreal Canadiens that evening.
On the opening day of Girls Hockey Weekend, before the Lightning’s 7 p.m game against the Ottawa Senators, Schleper and a representative from the Brandon Hockey Chicks, a women’s hockey team from the Brandon Ice Sports Forum, will participate in multiple panel discussions for local Girl Scouts. Afterwards, Schleper and the Lightning Community Hockey staff will put on a street hockey clinic for the Girl Scouts on Ford Thunder Alley from 3-5 p.m. At the end of the Girl Scouts clinic, the clinic will then open to all girls on Ford Thunder Alley with all clinics wrapping up when the doors to the arena open at 6 p.m.
In keeping with the weekend theme, the night’s Thunderstruck Skater will be from the Lady Vipers, who play out of the Ice Factory in Kissimmee. The skater and her Lady Viper teammates will participate in a scrimmage during the first intermission and a shootout during the second. Before the game, Schleper will be honoured with a video tribute and do the ceremonial puck drop. Schleper will then serve as honourary captain for the Lady Vipers scrimmage.
Monday sees Girls Play Hockey Weekend coming to a close, but for Schlepper, she will get to end the weekend by suiting up with the big boys and participating in the morning skate. It will be hld at 10:30 a.m. at the Amalie Arena.
Anne Schleper played college hockey at the University of Minnesota where she was an All-American. The 24-year-old won the Silver Medal with Team USA at the Sochi Winter Games in Russia. She also has played in three IIHF Women’s World Championships where she and the team won gold in 2011 and 2013. To her name she also has four Four Nations Cups. The St. Cloud, Minnesota native will be the Bolts Social Captain at the Saturday night game against the Senators.
