All signs pointed to this being a close game, and it was. Till it wasn’t. Goals by Gage Goncalves and Brandon Hagel just over a minute apart early in the third period turned a close game into a big win for the Lightning as they put seven pucks past Sam Ersson on just 23 shots to start their road trip with a 7-2 win. Goncalves finished with two goals while Nikita Kucherov kept his hot streak going with two goals and two assists.
Brayden Point (3 assists), Anthony Cirelli (2 assists), and C...
Game Forty-Three: Tampa Bay Lightning (26-13-3) at Philadelphia Flyers (22-12-8)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Motown Philly back again…doing a little east coast swing
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, NBCSP, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning -180
Know the Opponents: Broad Street Hockey
After a couple of days off to bask in the glow of their win over the Colorado Avalanche, the Tampa Bay Lightning kick off a five-game road trip in Philadelphi...
With the holidays over, and the Olympic break looming, we’re officially into trade season. How do we know? Well, because trades are happening! Okay, so Laurent Brossoit for Jake Furlong isn’t exactly a blockbuster, but it does get things rolling, right? With the trade deadline less than two weeks after everyone is back from the Olympics, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that general managers will want to get things done before the break.
Although the standings are still kind of co...
It’s been a busy first half of the season for Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Sam O’Reilly. It started with him leaving the organization that drafted him as Edmonton dealt him to Tampa Bay for Isaac Howard. Then he was named to Team Canada for the World Juniors where he netted 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) in 7 games on his way to a bronze medal. Now, he’s leaving the only junior hockey team that he’s ever played for as the London Knights have traded him to the Kitchener Rangers for a bevy of dra...
The Norwegian defenseman is currently out of the line-up with an injury, but will give the Tampa Bay Lightning a physical boost once he’s back.
Name Emil Lilleberg Position Defense Age (as of October 1) 24 Height/Weight 6’2″, 216 lbs Expected 2025-26 Team Tampa Bay Lightning Draft – Year, Round 2021 4th Round (107) by Arizona Previous Rankings 4 ( 2024 ), 13 ( 2023 ) JustinG.’s Ranking 6 Final Rank 3
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
The 30,000-foot view of Emil Lilleberg...
Sure, it’s a couple of days late, but we’ll just blame the post-holiday brain fog for the timing. As the Tampa Bay Lightning cool their heels for a couple of days, it’s not a bad time to take a look at how things went in a busy December. After righting their season with a blazing-hot November, things were a bit more…chaotic in December.
The month started with four losses (not great). Then they found their offense for a couple of games (that’s good!). Next came a couple of losses, includin...
On a night the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated head coach Jon Cooper’s 1,000th game as their head coach, his players honored him with a textbook win over the best team in the league as Brandon Hagel’s snapshot from the right circle in the third period snapped a 2-2 tie with the Colorado Avalanche. Anthony Cirelli added an empty net goal to make the final 4-2 as the Lightning continued their torrid start to the 2026 calendar year with their eighth win in a row.
While injuries have kept both...
Game Forty-Two: Colorado Avalanche (31-3-7) at Tampa Bay Lightning (25-13-3)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Benchmark International Arena, Where the Lightning had to watch Colorado celebrate
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, ALT, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning +100
Know the Opponents: Mile High Hockey
Perhaps they were distracted by Florida’s interesting choice of pants. Or maybe it was losing their talisman and first-line winger Gabriel Landeskog to an injury. ...
The Tampa Bay Lightning have ascended to the top of the Eastern Conference on the back of a solid offense and a surprisingly competent defense considering it’s comprised of three players that, if the season had played out as expected, would have been freezing in Syracuse instead of enjoying the sun and fun of Florida. Charle-Edouard D’Astous (19:07), Declan Carlile (14:09), and Max Crozier (15:30) are logging big minutes due to the injuries suffered earlier in the season by some blueline stapl...
So, we know what you’re wondering. When was the last time a Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman recorded a hat trick? Well, the answer is December 23, 2006 when Dan Boyle scored three times in the third period to help the Bolts take down the New York Rangers, 4-3. After almost two decades, a Lightning blueliner matched that feat as Darren Raddysh scored three times against the San Jose Sharks in Tampa Bay’s 7-3 win.
It was Raddysh’s first career NHL hat trick and, coincidently enough, it happe...
After getting booted in the first round of the playoffs last spring, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois didn’t wait until free agency started to begin fiddling with his roster. While the second round was still going on, the Lightning announced a free agent signing that was met with a collective shrug by just about everyone.
We even passed it off as “not a game-changing pick-up, but it does add to the organization’s depth”. Credit to the Lightning’s scouting staff, and Ch...
Game Forty-One: Tampa Bay Lightning (24-13-3) at San Jose Sharks (20-17-3)
Time: 4:00 PM EST
Location: SAP Center at San Jose, Silicon Valley, USA
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, NBCSA, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning -192
Know the Opponents: Fear the Fin
After a day off, the Tampa Bay Lightning wrap up their California road trip with a matinee effort against the San Jose Sharks. Over the last few seasons, this would be a penciled in win for the top team...
Way back in July, when the NHL released their initial six players for each country participating in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games Victor Hedman was a lock to make the roster. Sure, enough the Tampa Bay Lightning’s captain was part of that initial wave of players, and expressed delight at finally being able to represent his country at the preeminent international tournament for hockey.
Also back in July, Lightning fans were still figuring out exactly what role the newly signed Pont...
The Tampa Bay Lightning officially have an Olympic Line on their roster. A couple of days after his linemates Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli named to Team Canada’s roster, Jake Guentzel will be joining them (along with Brayden Point) on the flight over to Italy. Once the plane lands, they become rivals. The 31-year-old is one of 14 forwards that will be representing Team USA in the upcoming Olympic Games next month.
With his Stanley Cup pedigree, consistent performance, and familiarity...
The big guy is navigating his way through his first NHL season. There have been a few solid minutes spread between a lot of time in the press box.
Name Jack Finley Position Center Age (as of October 1) 23 Height/Weight 6’6″, 227 lbs. Expected 2024-25 Team Tampa Bay Lightning Draft – Year, Round 2020, Round 2 (57th) Previous Rankings 11th ( 2024 ), 10th ( 2023 ), 13th ( 2022 ), 20th ( 2021 ) JustinG Ranking 9 Final Rank 4
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
An injury recover...
After a night where offense was hard to come by for both teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning scored three times in the last 3:19 of the third-period to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 victory. Anthony Cirelli tied it at the 16:41 mark and Gage Goncalves put the Bolts in the lead less than two minutes later as the Lightning run their winning streak to six games in a row.
Nikita Kucherov tapped in an empty-net goal to cap a three-point night (1 goal, 2 assists) while Brayden Point scored twice. J....
Game Forty: Tampa Bay Lightning (23-13-3) at Los Angeles Kings (16-13-9)
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Location: Crypto.com Arena, The City of Angels
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, FDSNW, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning
Know the Opponents: Rink Royalty
Go out there and find a way to win. That’s it, that’s the preview.
Potential Lines
Tampa Bay Lightning
Forwards:
Brandon Hagel Anthony Cirelli Jake Guentzel Gage Goncalves Brayden Point Nikita Kuc...
Brandon Hagel celebrated making the Olympic roster with three assists, including one on Darren Raddysh’s game-winning, overtime goal as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Anaheim Ducks, 4-3, in Jon Cooper’s 1000th game. It wasn’t the prettiest game the Lightning have played on the West Coast, but once again, they found a way to pick up two points to keep their winning streak going.
First Period:
The Lightning took a few minutes to get their flow going and it almost cost them a g...
Team Canada was the first nation to release their official roster for the 2026 Olympics and there were plenty of Tampa Bay Lightning players on it. Forwards Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, and Anthony Cirelli were named to the roster (Point was an original six selection back in July) and will be joining Jon Cooper (head coach), Julien BriseBois (Assistant General Manager), and Dr. Ryan Hamilton (Mental Performance Consultant) in Italy during the two-week tournament in February.
The full ros...
Game Thirty-Nine: Tampa Bay Lightning (22-13-3) at Anaheim Ducks (21-16-2)
Time: 4:00 PM EST
Location: Honda Center, Where the Inferior Disney Theme Park is Located
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, Victory+, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning -148
Know the Opponents: Pucks of a Feather
For an entire generation of Tampa Bay Lightning fans there has been just one man they’ve known as the head coach – Jon Cooper. This afternoon, in Anaheim, that man will coach ...
It isn’t how most teams would like to go about their winning ways, but the Tampa Bay Lightning wrapped up 2025 with a shoot-out victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Nikita Kucherov scored twice as the Lightning won their fourth game in a row and moved into a tie with Detroit atop of the Atlantic Division.
The Lightning did have a few reinforcements in the line-up. Brandon Hagel returned to action while the newly recalled Max Groshev made his NHL debut. In net was Jonas Johansson, and he w...
After a brief transaction freeze over the holiday break, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois is closing out his 2025 season with at least one more deal. On Sunday the Lightning announced that they traded Boris Katchouk to the Minnesota Wild for forward Michael Milne.
Milne, 23, was a third-round pick by the Wild in 2022 and has been playing with the Iowa Wild of the AHL for the past few seasons, following his time spent in the WHL with the Winnipeg Ice. With Iowa he’s rec...
If nothing else, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s run of injuries has given some of their prospects a chance to shine at the NHL level. Whether it’s Dominic James, Declan Carlile, Max Crozier, Jack Finley, or Charle-Edouard D’Astous, Lightning fans have seen way more of the organizational depth than they had planned. Tonight, they get to add another name to the list – Maxim Groshev.
The Lightning’s third-round pick in 2020 was called up earlier this year, but with Ryan McDonagh heading to the In...
Game Thirty-Eight: Montreal Canadiens (20-12-5) at Tampa Bay Lightning (21-13-5)
Time: 5:00 PM EST
Location: Benchmark International Arena, Where Canadian Hockey Fans Spend Their Christmas Break
TV/Stream/Radio: The Spot, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App
Odds: Lightning -148
Know the Opponents: Eyes on the Prize
Ah yes, we’ve reached one of those semi-seasonal points in the schedule where the hockey stars might just be aligning against the Tampa Bay Light...
It was always going to happen at some point this season. While the first two match-ups during the regular season had their tense moments and questionable hits, things hadn’t boiled over like they did in the pre-season. That wasn’t the case in Saturday’s penalty-filled 4-2 win for the Tampa Bay Lightning over their in-state rivals, the Florida Panthers.
Two goals, including an empty-netter, from Nikita Kucherov proved to be the difference, but it was the Lightning penalty killers that won ...