Olympian Anne Schleper to take part in World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend with Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. -- United States women's hockey defenseman Anne Schleper will be a guest of the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend that begins Saturday.

Schleper, 24, claimed a silver medal as part of Team USA at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Saturday afternoon, the native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, will be part of a panel discussion for local Girl Scouts before the Lightning face the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m. at Amalie Arena. Then from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. at Ford Thunder Alley, she will conduct a pair of street hockey clinics for the Girl Scouts with help from the Lightning Community Hockey staff. At 5 p.m., the street hockey clinics will open to all girls at Ford Thunder Alley.

Later Saturday, Schleper will be honored during a pregame video tribute before participating in the ceremonial puck drop. After the game, she will be an honorary captain during a scrimmage for the Kissimmee-based Lady Vipers.

Then at 10:30 a.m. Monday, she will skate with the Lightning at Amalie Arena prior to Tampa Bay hosting the Montreal Canadiens.

You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.