Tampa Bay Lightning vs Pittsburgh Penguins, Dec. 15, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning7-3-1, 15 pts- 6:00 PMCT
- 5:00 PMMT
- 4:00 PMPT
Pittsburgh Penguins5-6-1, 11 ptsThe Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET on The Spot - MTN. The Lightning arrive at 7-3-1 and the Penguins at 5-6-1. It is the first meeting of the two clubs in 2026-27.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 15 | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Lightning vs Penguins Game Details
The fixed facts for this game in one place. The Penguins play at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
| Matchup | Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:00 PM ET |
| Status | Scheduled |
| TV | The Spot - MTN |
| Venue | PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh |
| Home team | Pittsburgh Penguins (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Away team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Game type | Regular season |
| Season | 2026-27 |
What Time Does Lightning vs Penguins Start?
The Lightning vs Penguins start time is 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 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 | Pittsburgh, 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 Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins is on 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 Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay markets.
Lightning vs Penguins in 2026-27: Head to Head
The Lightning and the Penguins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 12 | Pittsburgh PenguinsPITTampa Bay LightningTBL | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | |
| Tue, Dec 15 | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | ||
| Tue, Feb 2 | Tampa Bay LightningTBLPittsburgh PenguinsPIT | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Form and Standings: Lightning and Penguins
The Lightning are 7-3-1, 4th in the Atlantic Division with 15 points and a last-10 record of 7-2-1. The Penguins are 5-6-1, 6th in the Metropolitan with 11 points and 3-6-1 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 | |
| 12 | 5-6-1 | 11 | 4-1-0 | 1-5-1 | 40 | 40 | W2 | 3-6-1 | WWLLL |
Next Game for the Lightning and the Penguins
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning next play vs Calgary Flames on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on The Spot - MTN.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Dec 17 |  Calgary FlamesCGYTampa Bay LightningTBL | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins next play vs Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on ABTV.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Dec 17 |  Los Angeles KingsLAKPittsburgh PenguinsPIT | ABTV | Scheduled |
FAQ About Lightning vs Penguins
What time is Lightning vs Penguins on Dec. 15?
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 Penguins on?
The game is on The Spot - MTN. National games also stream on ESPN+ in the United States; in Canada the Sportsnet windows apply.
Where is Lightning vs Penguins being played?
At PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the visiting team.
Who has the better record, the Lightning or the Penguins?
The Lightning. They are 7-3-1 with 15 points, against 5-6-1 and 11 points for the Penguins.
How many times do the Lightning and Penguins play in 2026-27?
3 times. None has been played yet.
Does Lightning vs Penguins 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 Penguins 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 Penguins on national TV?
No. The Spot - MTN is a regional broadcast, shown in the Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay markets. Outside those markets it needs an out-of-market package.
Updated Scores update every 120 seconds while games are live.