The Philadelphia Flyers (22-12-8) head into their third home game in a row, looking to rebound after Thursday night’s overtime loss, as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning (26-13-3) at Xfinity Mobile Arena tonight. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm/ET.
Tampa Bay enters Philadelphia riding an eight-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 38-22 during that stretch. The Lightning have been especially dominant on the road, posting a 14-4-3 away record and remaining unbeaten on the road since December 13, 2025. While not as wildly successful as Tampa Bay, the Flyers are still 5-2-1 in their last eight games, outscoring opponents 27-21 over that span.
Tampa Bay owns the league’s fifth-best penalty kill at 83.6%, while the Flyers rank 14th at 80.5%. On the power play, the Lightning sit 15th in the NHL at 20%, compared to Philadelphia’s 30th-ranked unit at only 15%. However, the Flyers may see opportunities to improve that number, as Tampa Bay ranks third in the league in penalty minutes with 564.
Offensively, Tampa Bay has been one of the NHL’s top scoring teams, ranking seventh with 145 goals this season. The Flyers sit 22nd with 125 goals. Defensively, both teams have excelled, with the Lightning ranking second in goals against (111) and the Flyers close behind in fourth, allowing just 117 goals.
Previous Matchup
The Lightning shut out the Flyers 3-0 in Tampa Bay on November 24, 2025. Brandon Hagel led the way with two goals and an assist, while Anthony Cirelli added the third goal. Nikita Kucherov recorded assists on all three goals. Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside all 20 shots he faced for the shutout. Sam Ersson started for Philadelphia, making 15 saves on 17 shots.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
Injury Report: Tampa Bay Lightning
- Emil Lilleberg (Leg)
- Ryan McDonagh (Lower body)
- Scott Sabourin (Undisclosed)
- Victor Hedman (Undisclosed)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philadelphia, PA
When: 1/10/2026; 7pm/ET
TV Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last game PHI: 1/8/2026; 1-2 OT L; vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Last game TBL: 1/6/2026; 4-2 W; vs. Colorado Avalanche
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers are battling through a growing list of injuries, putting increased pressure on the entire lineup to step up on both ends of the ice. Philadelphia recalled Adam Ginning from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. While the move provides additional insurance on the blue line, Ginning is not expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s matchup.
Sam Ersson is expected to get the start in goal for Philadelphia for the first time in 2026. The netminder owns a 6-5-4 record this season, along with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .868 save percentage. Ersson is unfortunately 1-2-2 in his last 5 appearances. Additionally his career numbers against Tampa Bay (2-3 record, .839 save percentage, 3.57 GAA) leave room for improvement.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons, and the 2025-26 season has been no exception. The Lightning forward leads the team with 61 points and is tied for fourth in the NHL, recording 20 goals and 41 assists.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to start in net for Tampa Bay and has once again been a steady presence between the pipes. The veteran goaltender enters the matchup with a 17-7-2 record, a 2.34 goals-against average, and a .914 save percentage this season. Historically, Vasilevskiy has been dominant against Philadelphia, posting a 16-4-1 record in 21 career starts with a 1.98 GAA and .935 save percentage, making him a key factor to watch in this matchup.
Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
#46 Trevor Zegras – #22 Christian Dvorak – #39 Matvei Michkov
#52 Denver Barkey – #14 Sean Couturier – #74 Owen Tippett
#22 Nikita Grebenkin – #27 Noah Cates – #91 Carl Grundström
#44 Nic Deslariers – #18 Rodrigo Abols – #19 Garnet Hathaway
#8 Cam York – #6 Travis Sanheim
#24 Nick Seeler – #55 Rasmus Ristolainen
#36 Emil Andrae – #47 Noah Juulsen
#33 Sam Ersson
(#80 Dan Vladař)
Projected Lineup: Tampa Bay Lightning
#93 Gage Goncalves – #21 Brayden Point – #86 Nikita Kucherov
#38 Brandon Hagel – #71 Anthony Cirelli – #59 Jake Guentzel
#28 Zemgus Girgensons – #37 Yanni Gourde – #29 Pontus Holmberg
#20 Nick Paul – #17 Dominic James – #22 Oliver Bjorkstrand
#90 J.J. Moser – #43 Darren Raddysh
#51 Charlie-Édouard D’Astous – #81 Erik Cernak
#67 Declan Carlile – #24 Maxwell Crozier
#88 Andrei Vasilevskiy
(#31 Jonas Johansson)
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