The Lightning bring their five-game surge to UBS Arena on Tuesday, where the Islanders get first crack at slowing down one of the NHL’s hottest road teams. Puck drop is 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+.

Tampa Bay (16-7-2) has gone 8-2-2 away from home and continues to lean on steady scoring from Nikita Kucherov, who leads the team with 32 points and 21 assists. Brandon Hagel enters the night tied for the team lead with 15 goals after scoring twice in a win over the Rangers. 

Even with Brayden Point out until later in the week, Tampa Bay has averaged 3.36 goals per game and carries one of the NHL’s top penalty-kill units at 88.8%. Andrei Vasilevskiy has anchored Tampa Bay’s defensive stretch with an 11-5-2 record, a 2.32 goals-against average, and a .918 save percentage.

The Islanders (13-10-3), losers of three in a row and four of their last five, rely on Bo Horvat’s 26 points and team-leading 15 goals, but scoring depth has been limited during their recent slide. Injuries to Kyle Palmieri and Jean-Gabriel Pageau have forced heavier minutes on the top forwards, though New York’s defensive structure remains solid at 2.85 goals allowed per game.

Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich enter with matching .900-plus save percentages, giving the Islanders a dependable tandem against one of the league’s most efficient finishing teams.

Lightning -1.5 (+178)Islanders +1.5 (-203)Lightning -138Islanders +133Over 5.5 (-122)Under 5.5 (+117)

Note: The above data was collected on Dec. 2, 2025, and may have changed since writing.

Lightning vs Islanders Betting TrendsThe Lightning are 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games, going 4-0 on the road.The Islanders are 4-6 against the spread in their past 10, including 0-5 at home.The Lightning have won seven in a row and four of the last five against the Islanders.The total has gone under in eight of the Islanders’ last nine games.The Lightning have won five straight road matchups.The total has gone under in four of the last five meetings between these two teams.Lightning vs Islanders Injury ReportsDarren Raddysh, D — Game time decision (personal).Brayden Point, C — Out.Maxwell Crozier, D — Injured reserve.Erik Cernak, D — Injured reserve.Victor Hedman D — Injured reserve.Ryan McDonagh, D — Injured reserve.Kyle Palmieri, RW — Injured reserve (knee).Ethan Bear, D — Injured reserve (undisclosed).Jean-Gabriel Pageau, C — Injured reserve (upper body).Alexander Romanov, D — Injured reserve (shoulder).Semyon Varlamov, G — Injured reserve (knee).Pierre Engvall, LW — Injured reserve (ankle).Lightning vs Islanders Predictions and Picks

“I’m backing the Tampa Bay Lightning on the moneyline. Their current form is simply too strong to ignore, especially considering how well they are playing on the road. The Lightning are converting their chances efficiently, defending with structure, and getting elite goaltending from Vasilevskiy. Meanwhile, the Islanders are struggling to generate consistent scoring and have not looked sharp offensively in recent games. Sorokin can absolutely steal a game, but I trust Tampa’s overall team form far more right now.” — Kim Smith, Picks and Parlays

“Tampa Bay comes into this matchup looking for their eighth straight win, as they continue to be one of the hottest teams in the NHL …. New York has lost three games in a row and they have scored one goal or fewer in four of their last five. The Islanders are having a ton of trouble putting the puck in the net and will now face an elite TB defense. Take the Lightning to get a road win here.” — David Racey, Sports Chat Place

“I’m on Tampa Bay here. I get the case to be made for the Islanders as a home underdog, but you just have two teams headed in two different directions in this game and Tampa Bay isn’t a team I’m trying to step in front of right now. I think the Lightning grab the win here. Give me the Islanders.” — Chris Ruffolo, PickDawgz