Tampa Bay Lightning vs Ottawa Senators, Dec. 5, 2026
Tampa Bay Lightning7-3-1, 15 pts- 6:00 PMCT
- 5:00 PMMT
- 4:00 PMPT
Ottawa Senators8-4-0, 16 ptsThe Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET on The Spot - MTN. The Lightning arrive at 7-3-1 and the Senators at 8-4-0. It is the first meeting of the two clubs in 2026-27.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 5 | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Lightning vs Senators Game Details
The fixed facts for this game in one place. The Senators play at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
| Matchup | Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:00 PM ET |
| Status | Scheduled |
| TV | The Spot - MTN |
| Venue | Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa |
| Home team | Ottawa Senators (Ottawa, United States) |
| Away team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Game type | Regular season |
| Season | 2026-27 |
What Time Does Lightning vs Senators Start?
The Lightning vs Senators start time is 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, Dec. 5, 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 | Ottawa, 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 Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators 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 Ottawa and Tampa Bay markets. In Canada, Sportsnet holds the national rights, Prime Video streams Wednesday nights, and TVA Sports carries French-language games.
Lightning vs Senators in 2026-27: Head to Head
The Lightning and the Senators 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 27 | Ottawa SenatorsOTTTampa Bay LightningTBL | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | |
| Sat, Dec 5 | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | ||
| Sat, Jan 16 | Ottawa SenatorsOTTTampa Bay LightningTBL | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled | |
| Sat, Mar 20 | Tampa Bay LightningTBLOttawa SenatorsOTT | The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Form and Standings: Lightning and Senators
The Lightning are 7-3-1, 4th in the Atlantic Division with 15 points and a last-10 record of 7-2-1. The Senators are 8-4-0, 2nd in the Atlantic with 16 points and 6-4-0 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 | 8-4-0 | 16 | 5-2-0 | 3-2-0 | 38 | 34 | W1 | 6-4-0 | WLWLW |
Next Game for the Lightning and the Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning next play vs Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, Dec. 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET on CBJNHL, The Spot - MTN.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Dec 7 |  Columbus Blue JacketsCBJTampa Bay LightningTBL | CBJNHL, The Spot - MTN | Scheduled |
Ottawa Senators
The Senators next play at Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.
| Date | Start time | Matchup | TV | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Dec 6 | Ottawa SenatorsOTT Montreal CanadiensMTL | TV channel not announced yet | Scheduled |
FAQ About Lightning vs Senators
What time is Lightning vs Senators on Dec. 5?
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 Senators 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 Senators being played?
At Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, home of the Ottawa Senators. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the visiting team.
Who has the better record, the Lightning or the Senators?
The Senators. They are 8-4-0 with 16 points, against 7-3-1 and 15 points for the Lightning.
How many times do the Lightning and Senators play in 2026-27?
4 times. None has been played yet.
Does Lightning vs Senators 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 Senators 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 Senators on national TV?
No. The Spot - MTN is a regional broadcast, shown in the Ottawa and Tampa Bay markets. Outside those markets it needs an out-of-market package.
Updated All times Eastern Time (ET)