Getting back at it

Aside from wearing T-shirts and shorts in Florida's balmy winter, the lure of chasing a new home team (and hopefully adding a dozen or so pucks to the collection) is more than ample motivation for making my second hounding trip as a sunburned resident of the Sunshine State.

Adding to the buildup leading to Saturday's planned trip, weather permitting, to the Tampa Bay Lightning's practice facility is that I'll be joined by my wife, Lisa, and son, Colin, down for nine days from New Hampshire.

More than anything, the trip to watch the open practice will hopefully provide a quick-fix cure to a serious case of hockey withdrawal brought about by the Olympic break.