The New York Islanders welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to UBS Arena. Here are the projected/expected lineups sourced from NHL.com staff writers, independent correspondents, and others.
LIGHTNING (18-11-2) at ISLANDERS (18-11-3)
3 p.m. ET; The Spot, MSGSN
Lightning projected lineup
Brandon Hagel — Anthony Cirelli — Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel — Brayden Point — Oliver Bjorkstrand
Pontus Homberg — Yanni Gourde — Zemgus Girgensons
Curtis Douglas — Nick Paul — Scott Sabourin
J.J. Moser — Darren Raddysh
Charle-Edouard D’Astous — Emil Lilleberg
Declan Carlile — Max Crozier
Jonas Johansson
Brandon Halverson
Scratched: Dominic James, Gage Goncalves
Injured: Ryan McDonagh (undisclosed), Erik Cernak (undisclosed), Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed), Victor Hedman (elbow), Dominic James (undisclosed)
Status report
Hedman, a defenseman, will have a procedure on his elbow on Monday. He is expected to return in early February and play for Team Sween at the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026. … Vasilevskiy practiced on Friday but the goalie will not play against the Islanders. He could return Monday against the Florida Panthers. … James, a forward, was a full participant on Friday and could return on Saturday after missing an 8-4 win against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. … Defenseman Jack Finley was loaned to Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Friday.
Latest for THW:
- Lightning Set to Lose Victor Headman Due to Elbow Surgery
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- Lightning Larceny: Revisiting Sergachev for Drouin Trade
Islanders projected lineup
Emil Heineman — Mathew Barzal — Jonathan Drouin
Anders Lee — Jean-Gabriel Pageau — Maxim Shabanov
Simon Holmstrom — Calum Ritchie — Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean — Casey Cizikas — Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer — Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech — Adam Boqvist
Travis Mitchell — Scott Mayfield
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich
Scratched: Maxim Tsyplakov, Adam Boqvist
Injured: Bo Horvat (lower body), Kyle Palmieri (ACL), Alexander Romanov (upper body), Semyon Varlamov (knee), Ethan Bear (upper body)
Status report
Drouin, a forward, will return to the lineup after missing the past five games with a lower-body injury (back). … Horvat, a forward, will not play after sustaining a lower-body injury at the 13:08 mark of the second period in their 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
Latest for THW:
- Islanders Holding Their Breath After Bo Horvat’s Early Exit
- NHL Morning Recap – December 12, 2025
- Islanders Score 3 Goals in First Period to Take Down Ducks 5-2
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