Puck drop 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
The Lightning, one of the stronger teams in the Atlantic Division, visit the struggling Blue Jackets in a Metropolitan Division matchup. Tampa Bay is coming off a dominant 8-3 road win over Buffalo (featuring a Nikita Kucherov hat trick), while Columbus has dropped recent games and ranks near the bottom in scoring. Broadcast options include WWHO, The Spot, CBJHN, and CBJNHL (with regional streaming).
Current Player Rosters & Key Contributors
Lightning (key forwards/defense/goalies from recent usage and stats):
Forwards: Nikita Kucherov (team leader with strong production, including recent hat trick; ~8 G, 18 A), Brandon Hagel (~11 G, 10 A), Jake Guentzel (~10 G, 12 A), Anthony Cirelli, Yanni Gourde, Pontus Holmberg, Ilya Mikheyev, and depth options.
Defense: Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, John Carlson, Erik Cernak (status uncertain), Charle-Edouard D’Astous, J.J. Moser.
Goalies: Andrei Vasilevskiy (primary, ~9-4-1, 2.86 GAA, .885 SV% in 14 GP); Dennis Hildeby (backup, projected starter on the back-to-back; ~3-0-1 in limited action).
Projected lines often feature Hagel-Cirelli-Kucherov (top) or similar combinations with Guentzel elevated.
Blue Jackets (key forwards/defense/goalies):
Forwards: Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Matthew Knies, Sean Monahan, Dmitri Voronkov, Cole Sillinger, Charlie Coyle, Mathieu Olivier, and supporting players.
Defense: Zach Werenski (key offensive contributor from the blue line), Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro, Denton Mateychuk, Jake Christiansen.
Goalies: Jet Greaves (projected/confirmed starter in recent reports); other options in the rotation given longer-term absences.
Projected lines include Knies-Fantilli-Johnson and secondary units with Monahan/Voronkov.
Listed Injury Reports
Lightning:
Brayden Point (C, undisclosed) – out (IR; expected multi-week absence into early December).
Erik Cernak (D, undisclosed) – day-to-day/out (hurt recently; unlikely for this game, expected return around Nov. 14).
Additional depth scratches or minor issues noted in some reports.
Blue Jackets:
Conor Garland (RW, upper body) – out (indefinite/timeline unclear).
Isac Lundeström (C, Achilles) – out (LTIR/post-surgery; longer-term recovery).
Other depth or long-term issues (e.g., historical goalie absences like Merzlikins in broader context).
Tampa Bay is missing a key center in Point, forcing adjustments up front. Columbus is thin on scoring depth.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Nikita Kucherov / Brandon Hagel vs. Columbus defense (Werenski-led pairs): Kucherov’s elite playmaking and finishing (hot after the hat trick) against a Blue Jackets group that struggles to contain high-end talent. Hagel’s two-way game adds pressure.
Jake Guentzel vs. Blue Jackets secondary defense: Guentzel’s scoring touch tests Columbus’s ability to limit secondary threats.
Adam Fantilli / Kent Johnson vs. Lightning structure (Cirelli and defensive pairs): Young Columbus talent looks to generate offense against Tampa’s structured defense and goaltending.
Zach Werenski vs. Lightning forwards: Werenski’s offensive contributions from the blue line are vital for Columbus against a high-event Lightning attack.
Goaltending: Dennis Hildeby (projected) vs. Jet Greaves: Both sides may lean on backups or secondary options; Hildeby gets the nod on Tampa’s back-to-back after Vasilevskiy’s recent start.
Special teams: Lightning power play (~21.2%) holds an edge over Columbus (~17.1%); penalty kills are comparable but neither ranks elite.
Recent Team Forms
Lightning (last 10: 6-2-2): High-scoring and resilient. Recent results include an 8-3 blowout at Buffalo (Kucherov hat trick, strong supporting cast) after mixed road results. They average nearly 4 goals per game (strong league ranking) but can be vulnerable defensively at times. Road record is more mixed.
Blue Jackets (last 10: 4-6-0): Struggling offensively (near bottom of the league at ~2.44 GF/GP). Recent losses, including to Florida, highlight scoring woes despite occasional home success (6-4-0 home mark cited). They allow more goals than they score consistently.
Series History
First meeting of the 2026-27 season (tied 0-0). Broader recent history has been competitive, with Columbus taking some prior matchups (e.g., a 5-2 win in one noted previous game). Tampa Bay generally holds the talent edge in these interconference/cross-division games.
Betting Trends
Total sits at 6.5 (with some under lean due to Columbus’s low scoring). The Lightning’s offensive firepower vs. Columbus’s defensive and scoring struggles drives the edge, tempered by Tampa’s back-to-back and potential backup goalie.
Tampa Bay’s superior talent (Kucherov, Hagel, Guentzel, and supporting cast) and recent high-output form should overcome the back-to-back and Columbus’s home ice. The Blue Jackets’ offensive struggles make it difficult to keep pace in a higher-event game, though they can stay competitive for stretches. Expect the Lightning to control play and convert chances for a road win.
Game Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning – 110
Columbus Blue Jackets 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Wednesday, November 11, 2026
