by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2025
Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Thursday, December 18, 2025
Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Where to Watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Moneyline: Kings +154, Lightning -185; Over/Under: 5.5 goals
Bet365: Moneyline: Kings +155, Lightning -185; Over/Under: 5.5 goals
BetMGM: Moneyline: Kings +155, Lightning -185; Over/Under: 5.5 goals
Season Record
Los Angeles Kings: 14-9-9 (4th place, Pacific Division)
Tampa Bay Lightning: 18-12-3 (3rd place, Atlantic Division)
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Recent Form
Los Angeles Kings: 4-3-3 last 10
Tampa Bay Lightning: 4-5-1 last 10
Los Angeles Kings vs Tampa Bay Lightning Preview and Analysis
The Kings are entering this game with 37 points, a 14-9-9 record overall, and they are 10-3-5 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Dallas Stars in their last game, losing that one on the road 4-1, but this is also the 2nd game of a back-to-back for them with their game against the Florida Panthers still to be played on Wednesday night. In their game against the Stars, Andrei Kuzmenko scored 1 goal for them in that one and it was unassisted. Alex Laferriere, Brian Dumoulin, Joel Edmundson, and Kevin Fiala each led the team in shots on net in that game with 3. Darcy Kuemper was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 0 goals on 5 shots before leaving injured and getting replaced by Anton Forsberg who allowed 3 goals on 20 shots with 17 saves and a .850 save percentage. Their offense has scored 84 goals this season averaging 2.6 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 86 goals against them allowing 2.7 goals per game.
The Lightning are entering this game with 39 points, a 18-12-3 record overall, and they are 8-8-0 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Florida Panthers in their last game, losing that one at home 5-2. Janis Moser and Maxwell Crozier each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Brayden Point led the team in assists with 2 while Darren Raddysh led the team in shots on net in that game with 5. Jonas Johansson was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 5 goals on 24 shots with 19 saves and a .792 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 106 goals this season averaging 3.2 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 88 goals against them allowing 2.7 goals per game.
Kings vs Lightning Prediction
The current betting odds have the Lightning listed as a big favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Lightning have looked good in their games this season with their 18-12-3 record overall which has them in the top half of their division in the East. They haven't looked great on home ice though with their 8-8-0 home record this year. Meanwhile, the Kings have looked good in their games this season with their 14-9-9 record overall which has them in the top half of their division in the West. They have been a good road team too with their 10-3-5 road record this year. They haven't looked great lately though, going 4-3-3 in their last 10 games, and they aren't in a great situation here either. They are off a 4-1 loss to the Stars in their last one, but they are also playing this game on a back-to-back with a tough road game against the defending Stanley Cup champions the night before. The Lightning haven't looked any better lately as they are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and also coming off a loss in their last one, but they do have the home advantage along with the rest on their side. They are also off a 5-2 loss to the Panthers who are their rival so they will be looking to bounce back with a better game. The Lightning haven't given up a ton of goals this year either, just like the Kings, but their offense has been a lot better, scoring a ton of goals. The best way to place a bet here is on the Lightning to win this game.
Kings Lightning Prediction: Our NHL Pick for Thursday, December 18, 2025 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Lightning 4 Kings 3.
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NHL Betting Trends
Los Angeles Kings: 21-13 (+5.3 units) on the moneyline against good starting goalies - saving 91.5% of shots against or more. 31-27 (+5.8 units) on the moneyline versus very good teams - outscoring their opponents by 0.5+ goals/game. 67-56 (+2.1 units) on the moneyline against good passing teams - averaging 5 or more assists per game. 35-21 UNDER versus very good teams - outscoring their opponents by 0.5+ goals/game.
Tampa Bay Lightning: 112-95 (-13.7 units) on the moneyline in all games. 86-60 (-9.1 units) on the moneyline as a favorite. 51-39 (-13.9 units) on the moneyline when playing against a team with a losing record. 19-7 UNDER when playing with 2 days rest.
Key Injuries
Los Angeles Kings: D. Kuemper (G) Out - Upper Body. Q. Byfield (RW) Day To Day - Illness. P. Danault (C) Day To Day - Illness.
Tampa Bay Lightning: R. McDonagh (D) Day To Day - Undisclosed. E. Lilleberg (D) Out - Undisclosed. E. Cernak (D) Out - Undisclosed. V. Hedman (D) Out - Elbow.
Notable Quotes
“I saw a player come into the blue paint and run into our goaltender. That’s what I saw.” - Jim Hiller on the injury to Darcy Kuemper after his team’s loss against the Stars in their game on Monday.
"You've got one team in Florida on their fourth game of a road trip in a couple of different time zones, so they're tired. You've got us, basically, this is our fifth game in five different cities. I thought they looked like two tired hockey teams. They got the lead and hung on to it. With tired hockey teams mistakes are made. They capitalized on theirs and we didn't." - Jon Cooper after his team’s loss against the Panthers in their game on Monday.
Starting Lineups
Los Angeles Kings
LW Andrei Kuzmenko
C Anze Kopitar
RW Adrian Kempe
LD Mikey Anderson
RD Drew Doughty
G Anton Forsberg
Tampa Bay Lightning
LW Brandon Hagel
C Anthony Cirelli
RW Nikita Kucherov
LD Janis Jérôme Moser
RD Darren Raddysh
G Andrei Vasilevskiy
Statistical Leaders
Los Angeles Kings
Points: Adrian Kempe (28)
Goals: Adrian Kempe (11)
Assists: Adrian Kempe (17)
GAA: Darcy Kuemper (2.19)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Points: Nikita Kucherov (42)
Goals: Brandon Hagel (18)
Assists: Nikita Kucherov (29)
GAA: Andrei Vasilevskiy (2.31)
Coaches:
Los Angeles Kings: Jim Hiller (3rd season)
Tampa Bay Lightning: Jon Cooper (14th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
