Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings, Dec. 20, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning7-3-1, 15 pts- 4:00 PMCT
- 3:00 PMMT
- 2:00 PMPT
Detroit Red Wings4-4-3, 11 ptsThe Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026. Puck drop is 5:00 PM ET on DSN, The Spot - MTN. The Lightning arrive at 7-3-1 and the Red Wings at 4-4-3. It is the first meeting of the two clubs in 2026-27.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Dec 20 | DSN, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Lightning vs Red Wings Game Details
The fixed facts for this game in one place. The Red Wings play at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
| Matchup | Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 5:00 PM ET |
| Status | Scheduled |
| TV | DSN, The Spot - MTN |
| Venue | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit |
| Home team | Detroit Red Wings (Detroit, United States) |
| Away team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Game type | Regular season |
| Season | 2026-27 |
What Time Does Lightning vs Red Wings Start?
The Lightning vs Red Wings start time is 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026. That is 4:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Mountain and 2:00 PM Pacific.
| Time zone | Start | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 5:00 PM | Detroit, Tampa Bay |
| Central (CT) | 4:00 PM | |
| Mountain (MT) | 3:00 PM | |
| Pacific (PT) | 2:00 PM | |
| Atlantic (AT) | 6:00 PM | |
| Newfoundland (NT) | 6:30 PM | |
| Your time |
How to Watch Lightning vs Red Wings
Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings is on DSN, The Spot - MTN, with puck drop at 5:00 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 Detroit and Tampa Bay markets.
Lightning vs Red Wings in 2026-27: Head to Head
The Lightning and the Red Wings meet 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 3 | Detroit Red WingsDETTampa Bay LightningTBL | DSN, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Detroit Red WingsDETTampa Bay LightningTBL | DSN, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | |
| Sun, Dec 20 | DSN, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | ||
| Sat, Jan 23 | Tampa Bay LightningTBLDetroit Red WingsDET | DSN, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Form and Standings: Lightning and Red Wings
The Lightning are 7-3-1, 4th in the Atlantic Division with 15 points and a last-10 record of 7-2-1. The Red Wings are 4-4-3, 7th in the Atlantic with 11 points and 4-3-3 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 | |
| 11 | 4-4-3 | 11 | 3-3-1 | 1-1-2 | 29 | 34 | L1 | 4-3-3 | LWOTWW |
Next Game for the Lightning and the Red Wings
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning next play vs St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on TNT, truTV.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 22 |  St. Louis BluesSTLTampa Bay LightningTBL | TNT, truTV | Scheduled |
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings next play vs Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026 at 7:30 PM ET on DSN.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Dec 22 |  Toronto Maple LeafsTORDetroit Red WingsDET | DSN | Scheduled |
FAQ About Lightning vs Red Wings
What time is Lightning vs Red Wings on Dec. 20?
5:00 PM ET (4:00 PM CT, 3:00 PM MT, 2:00 PM PT). Atlantic, Newfoundland and your own local time are in the start-time table above.
What channel is Lightning vs Red Wings on?
The game is on DSN, The Spot - MTN. National games also stream on ESPN+ in the United States; in Canada the Sportsnet windows apply.
Where is Lightning vs Red Wings being played?
At Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, home of the Detroit Red Wings. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the visiting team.
Who has the better record, the Lightning or the Red Wings?
The Lightning. They are 7-3-1 with 15 points, against 4-4-3 and 11 points for the Red Wings.
How many times do the Lightning and Red Wings play in 2026-27?
4 times. None has been played yet.
Does Lightning vs Red Wings 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 Red Wings end?
A regular-season NHL game runs about 2 hours 30 minutes, so this one should end around 7:30 PM ET. Overtime adds up to five minutes, and a shootout a few more.
Is Lightning vs Red Wings on national TV?
No. DSN, The Spot - MTN is a regional broadcast, shown in the Detroit and Tampa Bay markets. Outside those markets it needs an out-of-market package.
Updated All times Eastern Time (ET)