NHL Game Preview: Los Angeles Kings at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 12/18/2025 | Inside The Rink

HomeNHLNHL Game Preview: Los Angeles Kings at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 12/18/2025

Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala, right, celebrates his goal with center Phillip Danault during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Photo: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Los Angeles Kings (14-10-9) at Tampa Bay Lightning (18-12-3)
Venue: Benchmark International Arena
Date: Thursday, December 18
Time: 7:00 pm EST
How To Watch: FDSW, The Spot, ESPN+
Radio: 560 AM WQAM, 102.5 The Bone

Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster

Los Angeles Kings News & Notes:

The Kings have lost six of their last eight games after a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. LA is 31st in the NHL in power play efficiency at 14.7 percent.

Tampa Bay Lightning News & Notes:

The Lightning have lost two games in a row after a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday. Tampa Bay is second in the NHL in penalty killing at 85 percent.

Los Angeles Kings Projected Lines

Laferriere-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Byfield-Foegele
Kuzmenko-Turcotte-Moore
Armia-Helenius-Perry

Anderson-Doughty
Edmundson-Clarke
Dumoulin-Ceci

Copley
Forsberg

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Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines:

Hagel-Cirelli-Kucherov
Guentzel-Point-Bjorkstrand
Girgensons-Gourde-Holmberg
Douglas-Paul-Sabourin

Moser-Raddysh
D’Astous-McDonagh
Carlile-Crozier

Vasilevskiy
Johansson

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Players To Watch:

Los Angeles Kings

Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 28 points. Kevin Fiala is second on the team with 23 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning with 42 points. Jake Guentzel is second on the team with 33 points.

Injury Report:

Los Angeles Kings

F Phillip Danault – OUT
G Darcy Kuemper – IR

Tampa Bay Lightning

D Erik Cernak – Day to day
D Victor Hedman – IR
D Emil Lilleberg – Day to day

Next Game:

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