NHL Game Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 12/20/2025 | Inside The Rink

HomeNHLNHL Game Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 12/20/2025

Nikolaj Ehlers skating for the Carolina Hurricanes

Photo: Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Carolina Hurricanes (22-9-3) at Tampa Bay Lightning (18-13-3)
Venue: Benchmark International Arena
Date: Saturday, December 20
Time: 7:00 pm EST
How To Watch: The Spot, ESPN+, FDSSO

Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster

Carolina Hurricanes News & Notes:

The Canes are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday. Carolina blew a 3-goal third period lead.

Tampa Bay Lightning News & Notes:

The Lighting have lost three in a row after a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Tampa Bay is without star forward Nikita Kucherov.

Carolina Hurricanes Projected Lines

Svechnikov-Aho-Hall
Ehlers-Stankoven-Blake
Carrier-Staal-Robinson
Martinook-Jankowski-Kotkaniemi

Miller-Walker
Gostisbehere-Chatfield
Slavin-Nikishin

Kochetkov
Andersen

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Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines:

Bjorkstrand-Point-Goncalves
Guentzel-Cirelli-Paul
Holmberg-Gourde-Girgensons
Douglas-James-

Moser-Raddysh
McDonagh-D’astous
Carlile-Crozier

Vasilevskiy
Johansson

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Players To Watch:

Carolina Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho leads the Canes with 31 points. Nikolaj Ehlers has 23 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake Guentzel has 34 points for the Lightning. Brandon Hagel has 31 points.

Injury Report:

Carolina Hurricanes

D Charles-Alexis Legault – IR
RW Seth Jarvis – OUT

Tampa Bay Lightning

D Erik Cernak – OUT
D Emil Lilleberg – OUT
D Victor Hedman – IR
LW Brandon Hagel – Day to day
RW Nikita Kucherov – OUT

Next Game:

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