The Los Angeles Kings (16-13-9) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (23-13-3) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on January 1, 2026, starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Kings are eighth in the Western Conference and the Lightning rank third in the Eastern Conference.
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Kings vs. Lightning: Jan. 1 Viewing Options
- Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Los Angeles, California
- Venue: Crypto.com Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
Kings' 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 2.58 | 29th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.55 | 2nd |
| Shots | 28.1 | 16th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.9 | 9th |
| Power Play % | 14.41% | 32nd |
| Penalty Kill % | 78.29% | 22nd |
Lightning's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.31 | 5th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.64 | 4th |
| Shots | 27.4 | 20th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.8 | 8th |
| Power Play % | 16.67% | 24th |
| Penalty Kill % | 84.85% | 3rd |
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Kings vs. Lightning Top Players
Kings
- A leading offensive player this season for Los Angeles, Adrian Kempe has recorded 32 points.
- With 13 goals and 12 assists, Kevin Fiala is one of the top offensive options for Los Angeles with his 25 points (0.7 per game).
- Los Angeles' scoring effort is aided by Quinton Byfield's 25 points. He's contributed 16 assists.
- In 23 games played this season, Darcy Kuemper (10-6-6) has given up 49 goals.
Lightning
- Nikita Kucherov has scored 18 goals (0.5 per game) and collected 33 assists (0.8 per game), fueling the Tampa Bay offense with 51 total points (1.3 per game). He takes 2.8 shots per game, shooting 16.7%.
- Jake Guentzel has scored 39 total points (1.0 per game) this season. He has 18 goals and 21 assists.
- Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel is among the leading scorers on the team with 34 total points (18 goals and 16 assists).
- Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .914 save percentage (11th in the league), with 572 total saves, allowing 55 goals (2.3 goals against average). He has put together a 15-7-2 record this season.
Kings vs. Lightning Injury Report
Kings
None
Lightning
Victor Hedman: Out (Elbow),
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg: Out (Undisclosed),
Ryan McDonagh: Out (Undisclosed),
Scott Sabourin: Out (Undisclosed)
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Kings' Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/23/2025 | Kraken | L 3-2 | Home |
| 12/27/2025 | Ducks | W 6-1 | Home |
| 12/29/2025 | Avalanche | L 5-2 | Away |
| 1/1/2026 | Lightning | - | Home |
| 1/3/2026 | Wild | - | Home |
| 1/5/2026 | Wild | - | Home |
| 1/7/2026 | Sharks | - | Home |
Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/27/2025 | Panthers | W 4-2 | Away |
| 12/28/2025 | Canadiens | W 5-4 | Home |
| 12/31/2025 | Ducks | W 4-3 | Away |
| 1/1/2026 | Kings | - | Away |
| 1/3/2026 | Sharks | - | Away |
| 1/6/2026 | Avalanche | - | Home |
| 1/10/2026 | Flyers | - | Away |