The Thursday NHL schedule includes the Tampa Bay Lightning (18-12-3) hosting the Los Angeles Kings (14-10-9) at Benchmark International Arena, starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Lightning are seventh (with 39 points) in the Eastern Conference and the Kings are seventh (37 points) in the Western Conference.
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Lightning vs. Kings: Dec. 18 Viewing Options
- Date: Thursday, December 18, 2025
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
Lightning's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.21 | 9th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.64 | 6th |
| Shots | 27.7 | 18th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.9 | 9th |
| Power Play % | 16.35% | 24th |
| Penalty Kill % | 85.05% | 2nd |
Kings' 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 2.58 | 28th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.55 | 3rd |
| Shots | 28.2 | 16th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.7 | 8th |
| Power Play % | 14.71% | 31st |
| Penalty Kill % | 79.82% | 20th |
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Lightning vs. Kings Top Players
Lightning
- With 13 goals and 29 assists this season, Nikita Kucherov is one of Tampa Bay's leading contributors (42 points).
- Jake Guentzel has 15 goals and 18 assists for Tampa Bay to compile 33 total points (one per game).
- With 31 points through 32 games (18 goals and 13 assists), Brandon Hagel has been an important part of Tampa Bay's offense this season.
- Across 19 games played, Andrei Vasilevskiy has a goaltending record of 11-6-2. During those games, he's allowed 43 goals while recording 464 saves.
Kings
- Adrian Kempe has put up 28 points (0.8 per game) for Los Angeles, with 11 goals and 17 assists in 33 games (playing 19:18 per game).
- Kevin Fiala is a key piece of the offense for Los Angeles with 23 total points this season. He has scored 12 goals and added 11 assists in 33 games.
- Quinton Byfield's four goals and 15 assists add up to 19 points this season.
- Darcy Kuemper is 10-6-6 on the season, allowing 49 goals (2.2 goals against average) and collecting 539 saves with a .917 save percentage (11th in the league).
Lightning vs. Kings Injury Report
Lightning
Victor Hedman: Out (Elbow),
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg: Out (Undisclosed),
Erik Cernak: Out (Undisclosed),
Ryan McDonagh: Day-To-Day (Undisclosed),
Brandon Hagel: Day-To-Day (Upper Body)
Kings
Darcy Kuemper: Out (Upper Body),
Phillip Danault: Day-To-Day (Illness)
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Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/11/2025 | Devils | W 8-4 | Away |
| 12/13/2025 | Islanders | L 3-2 | Away |
| 12/15/2025 | Panthers | L 5-2 | Home |
| 12/18/2025 | Kings | - | Home |
| 12/20/2025 | Hurricanes | - | Home |
| 12/22/2025 | Blues | - | Home |
| 12/27/2025 | Panthers | - | Away |
Kings' Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/13/2025 | Flames | L 2-1 | Home |
| 12/15/2025 | Stars | L 4-1 | Away |
| 12/17/2025 | Panthers | L 3-2 | Away |
| 12/18/2025 | Lightning | - | Away |
| 12/22/2025 | Blue Jackets | - | Home |
| 12/23/2025 | Kraken | - | Home |
| 12/27/2025 | Ducks | - | Home |