Here are the biggest storylines for the Tampa Bay Lightning this week, along with their schedule for Dec. 22–28, 2025.
Momentum From a Massive Comeback
The biggest talking point right now is the Lightning’s dramatic 6-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday (Dec. 20). After falling into a 3-0 hole in the first period, the Bolts rallied with six goals in the final 40 minutes. This was a critical morale booster, marking their first home win since late November and proving they can overcome slow starts.
Brandon Hagel’s Injury Status
Top-line forward Brandon Hagel is currently day-to-day with an upper-body injury following an elbow to the face from the Florida Panthers’ Seth Jones earlier in the week. Head coach Jon Cooper has indicated Hagel likely won’t return until after the holiday break, meaning he will miss Monday’s game against the St. Louis Blues but could potentially return for the weekend back-to-back set.
Roster Moves
The team recently reassigned forward Jakob Pelletier to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. Pelletier had been recalled as roster insurance but was a healthy scratch during the Hurricanes game. His reassignment suggests the team is getting healthier or prefers him getting top-line minutes in the AHL rather than sitting in the press box.
Playoff Positioning
As of this week, the Lightning are sitting third in the Atlantic Division (19-13-3 record). They are in a tight race with the Panthers and Boston Bruins, making the upcoming “Battle of Florida” on Saturday night particularly heavy in the standings.
Lightning Schedule Dec. 22 – 28
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | Venue | Broadcast/Notes |
| Mon, Dec 22 | vs. St. Louis Blues | 7:00 PM | Benchmark Int’l Arena | Home |
| Sat, Dec 27 | @ Florida Panthers | 7:00 PM | Amerant Bank Arena | “Battle of Florida” |
| Sun, Dec 28 | vs. Montreal Canadiens | 5:00 PM | Benchmark Int’l Arena | 1st of Back-to-Back |
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