Tampa Bay Lightning Face Off Against Vegas Golden Knights in Anticipated NHL Matchup

The Tampa Bay Lightning prepare to defend their unbeaten status as they go head-to-head with the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, October 17. The face-off is scheduled to occur at 7 p.m. Eastern Time at AMALIE Arena in Tampa, Florida. Fans can catch the game on Bally Sports or through local radio coverage.

The Lightning and Golden Knights will clash for the first time this season in a two-game series. Last season, Tampa Bay triumphed over Vegas in both of their encounters, securing victories of 5-4 and 5-3. Notably, forward Nikita Kucherov emerged as a top scorer for the Lightning, amassing a total of seven points in the series against the Golden Knights. Kucherov continues to lead Tampa Bay in all-time scoring against Vegas with 19 points over 10 games.

This season, Tampa Bay’s lineup remains formidable, with key forwards including Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov. The team’s defense will be bolstered by players such as Victor Hedman and J.J. Moser, while the goaltending duties are likely to be shared by Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson. Vasilevskiy has consistently faced off against Vegas, having started all previous matches between the two franchises, and holds an .895 career save percentage against the team.

The Golden Knights have historically provided tough competition for Tampa Bay. Although the Lightning lead the head-to-head matchup slightly with a 5-4-3 record, Vegas has outscored them in total, boasting 40 goals to Tampa Bay’s 39 across their encounters.

Looking beyond Thursday’s matchup, the Lightning will continue their journey facing the Ottawa Senators on October 19, followed by games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils on October 21 and 22, respectively. This stretch of games is crucial as Tampa Bay seeks to maintain their momentum and unblemished record.