Lightning Seek Redemption Against Kings in Crucial NHL Showdown

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning aim to bounce back from recent struggles as they host the Los Angeles Kings at AMALIE Arena on Thursday night. The game marks the final regular-season meeting between the two teams in the 2024-25 NHL season.

The Lightning, coming off a 2-1 loss to the Kings in Los Angeles earlier this month, hold a 30-13-5 all-time record against their Western Conference opponents. Defenseman Victor Hedman scored Tampa Bay’s lone goal in the previous matchup, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves. Vasilevskiy boasts a 9-4-1 career record against the Kings with a .911 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average.

Steven Stamkos leads the Lightning in scoring against Los Angeles with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 21 games. Nikita Kucherov, who missed Wednesday’s practice for maintenance, follows closely with 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games. Kucherov is expected to play Thursday.

The Kings, meanwhile, are looking to build on their recent victory over the Lightning. Forward Phillip Danault has been a key contributor against Tampa Bay, tallying six points (4 goals, 2 assists) in three games since joining the Kings in 2021. Goaltender David Rittich is expected to start for Los Angeles, carrying a 0-2-1 career record against the Lightning with an .862 save percentage and a 4.22 goals-against average.

Both teams enter the game struggling offensively. The Kings rank last in the NHL in goals scored in January, while the Lightning have lost four of their last five games. Defenseman Drew Doughty, who returned to the Kings’ lineup on Wednesday, logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time and is expected to play again Thursday. “We’ve got to get more bodies to the net,” Doughty said after Wednesday’s game. “It’s just about bearing down.”

Warren Foegele echoed Doughty’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of puck possession and winning battles. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to get bodies to the net and then we’ve got to get the puck to the net when guys are there,” Foegele said. “It’s just winning battles at the end of the day.”

The Lightning will look to capitalize on their home-ice advantage, where they have gone 6-2-1 against the Kings since the 2019-20 season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with coverage on the FanDuel Sports Network.