The 2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the franchise's 21st season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout. Regular season The Lightning began the season with one of the best starts in franchise history, earning a 6–1–0 record. However, since that seventh game, the team went 7–16–1, falling to 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. This prompted general manager Steve Yzerman to fire head coach Guy Boucher on March 24, 2013 after a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators(who he would eventually end up coaching). Boucher was in his third year as the team's head coach. One day later, the Lightning named Jon Cooper as the team's new head coach. Cooper was first hired by the organization in 2010 to coach the Lightning's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, and after the Lightning changed affiliates, the Syracuse Crunch. While coaching the Admirals in the 2011–12 season, the team won 28 consecutive games and would go on to win the Calder Cup, sweeping the championship series. At the time of Cooper's naming as Lightning head coach, ten players on the team's roster had played for Cooper in Syracuse at some point during the season. With goaltending having been an issue for the team all season, on April 3, the day of the trade deadline, the Lightning acquired Ben Bishop from the Ottawa Senators. In return, the Lightning dealt rookie left wing Cory Conacher, who at the time was second in the League in points among first-year players with 24, and led all rookies in assists with 15. The Lightning also gave up a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The Lightning tied the Montreal Canadiens for the fewest shorthanded goals scored with zero. Standings Divisional standings Conference standings Schedule and results Preseason As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, the entire pre-season was canceled. Regular season Due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, the Lightning's original 82-game schedule was reduced to a 48-game schedule in which they would face only teams from the Eastern Conference. |- style="text-align:center; background:#cfc;" | 1 || January 19 || Washington Capitals || 6–3 || || Lindback || Tampa Bay Times Forum || 19,204 || 1–0–0 || 2 || |- style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;" | 2 || January 21 || @ New York Islanders ||