Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes, Dec. 28, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning7-3-1, 15 pts- 6:00 PMCT
- 5:00 PMMT
- 4:00 PMPT
Carolina Hurricanes9-2-2, 20 ptsThe Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, Dec. 28, 2026. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET on CARNHL, The Spot - MTN. The Lightning arrive at 7-3-1 and the Hurricanes at 9-2-2. It is the first meeting of the two clubs in 2026-27.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Dec 28 | CARNHL, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Lightning vs Hurricanes Game Details
The fixed facts for this game in one place. The Hurricanes play at Lenovo Center in Carolina.
| Matchup | Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday, Dec. 28, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:00 PM ET |
| Status | Scheduled |
| TV | CARNHL, The Spot - MTN |
| Venue | Lenovo Center, Carolina |
| Home team | Carolina Hurricanes (Carolina, United States) |
| Away team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Game type | Regular season |
| Season | 2026-27 |
What Time Does Lightning vs Hurricanes Start?
The Lightning vs Hurricanes start time is 7:00 PM ET on Monday, Dec. 28, 2026. That is 6:00 PM Central, 5:00 PM Mountain and 4:00 PM Pacific.
| Time zone | Start | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 7:00 PM | Carolina, Tampa Bay |
| Central (CT) | 6:00 PM | |
| Mountain (MT) | 5:00 PM | |
| Pacific (PT) | 4:00 PM | |
| Atlantic (AT) | 8:00 PM | |
| Newfoundland (NT) | 8:30 PM | |
| Your time |
How to Watch Lightning vs Hurricanes
Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes is on CARNHL, The Spot - MTN, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.
National NHL games in the United States air on ESPN, ABC, TNT, truTV and ESPN+. Games outside those windows go to the regional networks for the Carolina and Tampa Bay markets.
Lightning vs Hurricanes in 2026-27: Head to Head
The Lightning and the Hurricanes meet 3 times in 2026-27. None of the games has been played yet; this is the season series in full.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 25 | Carolina HurricanesCARTampa Bay LightningTBL | TNT, truTV | Scheduled | |
| Mon, Dec 28 | CARNHL, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | ||
| Sat, Feb 27 | Tampa Bay LightningTBLCarolina HurricanesCAR | CARNHL, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Form and Standings: Lightning and Hurricanes
The Lightning are 7-3-1, 4th in the Atlantic Division with 15 points and a last-10 record of 7-2-1. The Hurricanes are 9-2-2, 1st in the Metropolitan with 20 points and 8-1-1 in their last 10.
| Team | GP | Record | PTS | Home | Away | GF | GA | Streak | Last 10 | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 7-3-1 | 15 | 5-0-0 | 2-3-1 | 38 | 34 | OT1 | 7-2-1 | OTLWWW | |
| 13 | 9-2-2 | 20 | 2-1-1 | 7-1-1 | 51 | 33 | W1 | 8-1-1 | WOTWLW |
Next Game for the Lightning and the Hurricanes
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning next play vs Nashville Predators on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on Scripps Sports.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 29 |  Nashville PredatorsNSHTampa Bay LightningTBL | Scripps Sports | Scheduled |
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes next play at Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on CARNHL.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 29 | Carolina HurricanesCAR Pittsburgh PenguinsPIT | CARNHL | Scheduled |
FAQ About Lightning vs Hurricanes
What time is Lightning vs Hurricanes on Dec. 28?
7:00 PM ET (6:00 PM CT, 5:00 PM MT, 4:00 PM PT). Atlantic, Newfoundland and your own local time are in the start-time table above.
What channel is Lightning vs Hurricanes on?
The game is on CARNHL, The Spot - MTN. National games also stream on ESPN+ in the United States; in Canada the Sportsnet windows apply.
Where is Lightning vs Hurricanes being played?
At Lenovo Center in Carolina, home of the Carolina Hurricanes. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the visiting team.
Who has the better record, the Lightning or the Hurricanes?
The Hurricanes. They are 9-2-2 with 20 points, against 7-3-1 and 15 points for the Lightning.
How many times do the Lightning and Hurricanes play in 2026-27?
3 times. None has been played yet.
Does Lightning vs Hurricanes count in the standings?
Yes. It is a regular-season game: two points for a win, one for a loss in overtime or a shootout.
What time does Lightning vs Hurricanes end?
A regular-season NHL game runs about 2 hours 30 minutes, so this one should end around 9:30 PM ET. Overtime adds up to five minutes, and a shootout a few more.
Is Lightning vs Hurricanes on national TV?
No. CARNHL, The Spot - MTN is a regional broadcast, shown in the Carolina and Tampa Bay markets. Outside those markets it needs an out-of-market package.
Updated All times Eastern Time (ET)