The Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning will do battle in the NHL on Thursday night. The Lightning will host this game at Benchmark International Arena as favorites after the Kings’ offense has sputtered in recent games. Can the Kings get their offense back on track, or will the Lightning continue to hold Los Angeles down? Here, I attempt to answer that question as I make my Kings vs Lightning prediction on the ice.
Our Kings vs Lightning Pick
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Los Angeles Kings vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Date & Time: Thursday, December 18, 2025, 7:00 PM
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Florida
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Kings enter this game struggling offensively, losers of four straight games after a 4‑1 loss to the Dallas Stars where they managed only one goal on 28 shots. They have scored two or fewer goals in four straight games coming into this contest and need more from their attack to get back into the win column.
Tampa Bay’s recent performance has been mixed, with the Lightning holding a 4‑5‑1 record over their last 10 games but still sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division standings with an 18‑12‑3 record. Tampa Bay has lost two games in a row and will try to end their losing streak against a struggling Kings team.
Goaltending
Tampa Bay recently reactivated star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy from injured reserve after a seven‑game absence. Vasilevskiy brings a strong track record with a solid goals‑against average and save percentage, but it remains unclear if he will start this game or if Jonas Johansson continues in net.
The Kings saw Darcy Kuemper placed on injured reserve after taking a blow to the head, forcing newcomer Pheonix Copley into action. Copley has not played this season and is an unknown factor in goal for Los Angeles.
Key skaters
For Tampa Bay, Nikita Kucherov stands out as the offensive catalyst with 13 goals and 29 assists on the season. Brandon Hagel has also contributed and remains an offensive threat for the Bolts. The Lightning attack can generate pressure from multiple lines and that will be a huge asset going into this game.
The Kings feature Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe as two of their leading contributors, but their production has been lacking compared with Tampa’s top end talent of late. Los Angeles’ scoring droughts have highlighted the lack of scoring depth beyond its top weapons.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Nikita Kucherov | |
| Brandon Hagel |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Kings and Lightning are playing for the first time this season.
- The Kings are 13-20 in the puckline market entering Thursday’s play.
- Tampa Bay is 14-19 on the puckline this year.
Kings vs Lightning Model Projection
Final Thoughts
