Skip to content
daily.hockey

Montréal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Regular season · Thursday, December 31, 2026 · Benchmark International Arena

Montréal CanadiensMontréalCanadiensAway

vs

Tampa Bay LightningTampa BayLightningHome

TSN2 · RDS · The Spot

Game preview

The Montréal Canadiens visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena on Thursday, December 31, 2026, with puck drop at 2:00 PM ET. The game is on TSN2, RDS and The Spot.

This is the second of 4 meetings between the teams this season.

Rest and travel

Canadiens

First game of a road trip.

  1. 212026-12-21: no game
  2. 222026-12-22: at CBJ
  3. 232026-12-23: no game
  4. 242026-12-24: no game
  5. 252026-12-25: no game
  6. 262026-12-26: vs TOR
  7. 272026-12-27: vs DAL, second of a back-to-backB2B
  8. 282026-12-28: no game
  9. 292026-12-29: vs CBJ
  10. 302026-12-30: no game
  11. 312026-12-31: at TBL
rest since last game
1 day
rest since last game
since last game
~1,307 mi
since last game
on this road trip
~1,307 mi
on this road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home

Lightning

Another game at home.

  1. 212026-12-21: no game
  2. 222026-12-22: vs STL
  3. 232026-12-23: no game
  4. 242026-12-24: no game
  5. 252026-12-25: no game
  6. 262026-12-26: at FLA
  7. 272026-12-27: no game
  8. 282026-12-28: at CAR
  9. 292026-12-29: vs NSH, second of a back-to-backB2B
  10. 302026-12-30: no game
  11. 312026-12-31: vs MTL
rest since last game
1 day
rest since last game
since last game
~0 mi
since last game
road trip
–
road trip
body clock vs home
Home time
body clock vs home
Home game Road game This gameB2B = second night of a back-to-back. Distances are approximate.

Lines from last game

Montréal CanadiensCanadiensTue, Oct 13 vs BUF
  1. L1Slafkovský#20Suzuki#14Caufield#13
    13:14 together at 5v5
  2. L2Texier#85Danault#24Bolduc#76
    10:29 together at 5v5
  3. L3Kreider#22Newhook#15Anderson#17
    7:44 together at 5v5
  4. L4NewEvans#71Dach#77Beck#62
    5:17 together at 5v5
  1. D1NewCarrier#45Guhle#21
    16:53 together at 5v5
  2. D2Dobson#53Hutson#48
    12:32 together at 5v5
  3. D3NewXhekaj#72Engstrom#42
    7:19 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Kreider LSlafkovský LSuzuki CCaufield RHutson D2:22
  2. 2Texier LDach CNewhook CBolduc RDobson D0:47

Penalty kill

  1. 1Danault CEvans CCarrier DGuhle D1:14
  2. 2Evans CNewhook CDobson DXhekaj D0:58
Tampa Bay LightningLightningTue, Oct 13 at NYR
  1. L1Girgensons#28Holmberg#29Mikheyev#95
    10:27 together at 5v5
  2. L2Point#21Goncalves#93Kucherov#86
    5:49 together at 5v5
  3. L3NewHagel#38Guentzel#59Geekie#94
    1:46 together at 5v5
  1. D1Carlson#74Moser#90
    12:15 together at 5v5
  2. D2D'Astous#51Crozier#24
    10:25 together at 5v5
  3. D3McDonagh#27Cernak#81
    8:50 together at 5v5

Power play

  1. 1Hagel LGuentzel CPoint CKucherov RCarlson D2:13
  2. 2Cirelli CGoncalves CGeekie CHolmberg RD'Astous D0:50

Penalty kill

  1. 1Hagel LCirelli CHedman DCrozier D1:57
  2. 2Hagel LCirelli CMcDonagh DCernak D1:17

Behind the bench

Each grey tick is one NHL team.

MTLTBL

Settled lines

Share of 5v5 time from the regular top four lines · 2026–27

MTL 69% (16th most shuffled)TBL 57% (5th most shuffled)
← Shuffles linesKeeps lines together →

Goalie pull, down one

Median time left in the 3rd when the goalie comes out, delayed penalties excluded · 2025–26

MTL 1:48 left (16th latest · 16 pulls)TBL 2:04 left (5th earliest · 16 pulls)
← Pulls latePulls early →

Average shift

All skaters, all strengths · 2025–26

MTL 51.0s (4th longest)TBL 49.1s (11th longest)
← Short shiftsLong shifts →

Caught on long shifts

Share of 5v5 goals against with a skater 60s+ into his shift · 2025–26

MTL 38% (3rd most often)TBL 28% (12th least often)
← Rarely caughtOften caught →

Season series