Playoff Hockey Returns to Tampa Bay as Lightning Face Canadiens The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Montreal Canadiens in the opening game of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday, April 19, at Benchmark International Arena. The matchup marks the start of the First Round series, with the Lightning aiming to extend their playoff dominance against the Canadiens. The game is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on The Spot - Tampa Bay 66, with live streaming available through TampaBayLightning.com. Radio coverage will be provided by 102.5 MHz-FM and Lightning Radio 24/7. The Lightning’s roster for the series includes key forwards such as Gage Goncalves, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, Jake Guentzel, Zemgus Girgensons, Yanni Gourde, and Nick Paul. On defense, JJ Moser, Darren Raddysh, Ryan McDonagh, Erik Cernak, Charle-Edouard D’Astous, and Emil Lilleberg will be in action. Goalies Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson will be under the spotlight. The series carries significant historical context. The Lightning and Canadiens met four times during the 2025-26 regular season, with Tampa Bay securing two victories, including a 6-1 win on December 9 and a 5-4 overtime win on December 28. However, Montreal claimed two of the remaining matchups, with a 4-1 and 2-1 result. Overall, Tampa Bay holds a 12-7 playoff record against Montreal, including a strong 7-3 home ice advantage. Nikita Kucherov has been a standout performer against the Canadiens, tallying 3-2—5 in four regular-season games. In the playoffs, Kucherov leads the franchise in scoring against Montreal with 10-3—13 in 13 games. Victor Hedman follows closely with 3-5—8 in 15 games.#tampa_bay_lightning #nfl #benchmark_international_arena #the_spot_tampa_bay_66 #montreal_canadiens
Nuts & Bolts: Three-game stay in Canada begins in Vancouver The Tampa Bay Lightning will begin their three-game trip to Canada with a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, March 19, at Rogers Arena. The game is set for 10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on The Spot - Tampa Bay 66, with radio coverage available on 102.5 MHz-FM and Lightning Radio 24/7. Fans can also stream the game via TampaBayLightning.com/StreamNow. The Lightning’s lines for the game include forward combinations such as Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, and Nikita Kucherov; Gage Goncalves, Brayden Point, and Jake Guentzel; Zemgus Girgensons, Yanni Gourde, and Pontus Holmberg; and Corey Perry, Nick Paul, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. On defense, Victor Hedman will pair with JJ Moser and Darren Raddysh, while Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Ryan McDonagh will form another pairing. Hedman will also team with Erik Cernak. The goaltending tandem consists of Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jonas Johansson. This matchup marks the second and final regular-season meeting between the Lightning and Canucks this season. Tampa Bay enters the game with a 0-1-0 record against Vancouver after a 6-2 loss on November 16, during which Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel each scored a goal, and six Lightning players recorded points. Historically, the Lightning hold an overall 22-19-5 record against the Canucks, including a 9-10-3 mark on the road. Steven Stamkos leads the Lightning’s all-time scoring against Vancouver with 16 goals, 12 assists, and 28 points in 20 games. Kucherov follows with 12 goals, 13 assists, and 25 points in 20 contests. Brayden Point is the next active player with 8 goals, 12 assists, and 20 points across 16 career games against the Canucks.#tampa_bay_lightning #vancouver_canucks #rogers_arena #the_spot_tampa_bay_66 #lightning_radio
