TAMPA, Fla. — You don't have to remind the ice crew of the Tampa Bay Lightning that the 2022 season is just around the corner.
"Oh, it’s like Christmas to me right now," said ice operations manager Patrick Jesso.
"This may be my favorite day of the year," added assistant manager Alison Murdock.
Wednesday, the team began the installation process of putting ice back onto the floor of Amalie Arena. Different crews will work around the clock for 72 hours to make sure the foundation is laid properly.
After a combination of hot water, cold water and paint applications, the ice will start to look more and more like it is in mid-season form.
"Then we’ll lay down our lines and logos and stuff like that," Jesso said. "We’ll flood around the clock and build ice and have it ready for games."
The ice team works from 7 A.M. until midnight on game nights, but Jesso says having one of the best playing surfaces in the league is worth the sacrifice.
"We try to make sure we have a clean sheet of ice, and it’s smooth, and the players aren’t complaining too much."
Murdock said the ice has only been off the floor for a total of five months over the past three years. That's because the Lightning is making their traditional playoff run. She doesn't mind missing a few vacation days.
"I’d much rather have a shorter summer," she laughed. "Because it means the team is doing well."
As of last season, Murdock is the only female, full-time Zamboni driver in the NHL.
"It’s really cool. I just show up and do my work, though. So I don’t really think about it," she said. "But when I step back to think about it, it is a pretty neat thing."
The Lightning opens the 2022 regular season on the road against the New York Rangers on Oct. 11. Their home opener is Oct. 18 against the Philadelphia Flyers.
