On Thursday night in the East, the Los Angeles Kings (14-10-9) and head coach Jim Hiller round up a three-game road trip in the Eastern Conference late this week against the Tampa Bay Lightning (18-12-3) on Dec. 18. Hiller and the Kings are in the Sunshine State on the East coast for one more game late this week in the second leg of back-to-back games on Thursday night.
Something should change for the Kings and Hiller with the team's struggling scoring the puck offensively on that end of the ice this past week. The Kings are struggling on special teams on the power play and to convert on the opportunities on odd-man rushes and breakaways this regular season.
The significant lineup change on the Kings' active roster lineup for Hiller tonight in Tampa Bay is expected to be Pheonix Copley in goal for LA. Copley will be rested for the Kings' in between the pipes tonight in the back end of back-to-back games against the Panthers and the Lightning in Florida in Tampa.
This will be Copley's first start in the league in the NHL this regular season since this past fall in October 2024.
Here's a look at the TV/streaming information, start time, and radio broadcast information for the matchup between the Kings and Lightning in the final contest of a three-game road trip in the East at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, FL, on Dec. 18.
How to watch the Los Angeles Kings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- Date & Time: Thursday, Dec. 18, 4:00 p.m. PT
- Location: Benchmark International Arena (Tampa, FL)
- Live Streaming: ESPN+
- TV: FDSN
- Radio: ESPN LA App
The back end of back-to-back games in the Sunshine State between the Kings and the Lightning from Tampa will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network West. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and the radio broadcast is available on the ESPN LA app.
Los Angeles Kings projected roster vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning
Forwards
Kevin Fiala – Quinton Byfield – Warren Foegele
Alex Laferriere – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Andrei Kuzmenko – Alex Turcotte – Trevor Moore
Joel Armia – Sammy Helenius – Corey Perry
*Jeff Malott and Phillip Danault
Defensemen
Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci
*Jacob Moverare
Goalies
Pheonix Copley
Anton Forsberg
*Indicates a healthy scratch
Projected starting goalies for the Los Angeles Kings vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Kings: Pheonix Copley
Lightning: Andrei Vasilevskiy