Preview: Panthers at Lightning, Monday, December 15, 2025 TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — The in-state rivalry resumes Monday night when the Florida Panthers visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. The Lightning (18-14-0) enter with a three-point edge in the standings over the .500 Panthers (15-15-0) and look to build on a strong recent stretch where they have won six of their last nine games. Tampa Bay is coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday, a game in which star forward Nikita Kucherov extended his point streak with two assists. Kucherov has been on a tear, recording 18 points (3 goals, 15 assists) in his last 10 games, including a four-assist performance in an 8-4 win over New Jersey on Dec. 11. He remains the focal point of the Lightning’s high-powered attack. The Panthers, meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a 6-2 road loss in Colorado on Thursday. Their recent form has been inconsistent, with a 4-5-1 record over their last 10 contests. A bright spot has been the play of forward Mackie Samoskevich, who scored a goal in the loss to the Avalanche and has recorded points in four of his last five games (2 goals, 3 assists in that span). Florida will need Samoskevich and its offense to break through against a Tampa Bay team that won the most recent head-to-head meeting, 3-1, on Nov. 15. The Panthers’ recent games have been high-scoring affairs, with six of their last eight decided by one goal, including a 7-6 overtime win over Columbus on Dec. 6. The Lightning have found success at home lately, going 5-2-0 in their last seven games at Amalie Arena. Following this matchup, the two teams will meet again in Sunrise on Dec. 27. For Florida, defenseman Janis Moser, acquired from Utah earlier this season, logged a goal and four hits against the Islanders on Saturday and will be a key part of the effort to contain Kucherov and Tampa Bay’s top line. The game is set for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop.