Everything you need to know ahead of the Lightning’s game against Chicago on Thursday.
When: Thursday, October 23 – 6:45 p.m. ET
Or: Benchmark International Arena – Tampa, Florida
Flow: ESPN+/Hulu
Radio coverage: 102.5 MHz-FM, Radio Lightning 24/7
Lines for Wednesday’s practice (subject to change)
Attackers
Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Gage Goncalves
Brandon Hagel-Anthony Cirelli-Nikita Kucherov
Oliver Bjorkstrand – Yanni Gourde – Pontus Holmberg
Curtis Douglas/Jack Finley-Zemgus Girgenson-Mitchell Chaffee
Defenders
Victor Hedman – JJ Moser
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg – Darren Raddysh
Charle-Edouard D’Astous
Goalkeepers
Andrei Vasilevsky
Jonas Johansson
Thursday’s match
Tampa Bay will face the Chicago Blackhawks (3-2-2 this season) for the first time this season when Chicago visits Benchmark International Arena on Thursday… The game marks the first of two between the teams in 2025-26, the other taking place Jan. 23 in Chicago… Tampa Bay is 36-17-9 all-time against the Blackhawks, a record that includes a 19-7-4 home streak… Defenseman Victor Hedman is the franchise leader in scoring against Chicago with 7-28-35 in 32 career games, followed by Steven Stamkos’ 17-17-34 in 29 games. Brayden Point ranks third with 13-18—31 in 23 games… Tampa Bay went 1-1-0 against Chicago a season ago while being outscored 7-5… Nikita Kucherov led the Lightning with 1-3—4 in two games, while Jake Guentzel went 1-2—3 against the Blackhawks… Goaltender Jonas Johansson has played in both games against Chicago in 2024-25, going 1-1-0 with a .824 save percentage and 3.08 goals-against average… Andrei Vasilevskiy is 13-0-0 with a .930 save percentage in his career against Chicago with a shutout… Johansson is 2-2-0 with a save percentage saves of .831 in his Bolts career against the Blackhawks.
The road ahead
Saturday October 25 against the Anaheim Ducks
Sunday, October 26 against the Vegas Golden Knights
Tuesday, October 28 at the Nashville Predators
