NHL On Tap: Lightning host Panthers prior to start of Olympic break

There are seven games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, including one nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

'Battle of Florida' returns

It's been a wild week in Florida, starting with the Tampa Bay Lightning's stunning 6-5 shootout win against the Boston Bruins in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Sunday, and ending with the fourth and final "Battle of Florida" of the regular season when the Florida Panthers (29-24-3) visit the Lightning (36-14-1) at Benchmark International Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNP, SNW, SNO, TVAS). It's a matchup that includes 19 players bound for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, with 10 participating from Florida and nine from Tampa Bay. It's a chance for Nikita Kucherov to extend his point streak into double-digits; the forward has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in his nine-game run for the Lightning, who are 18-1-1 in their past 20 games and are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the Eastern Conference lead. The Panthers ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 shootout win against the Bruins on Wednesday in the return of forward Brad Marchand, who had missed two games with a lower-body injury and will play for Canada at the Olympics.

You look familiar

When the New York Islanders (31-21-5) face the New Jersey Devils (28-26-2) at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSGSN), it will mark the return of Ondrej Palat, who was traded to the Islanders on Jan. 28. The forward, who will play for Czechia at the Olympics, has three points (one goal, two assists) in five games with New York, 4-2-0 in its past six games. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer is coming off his eighth career multipoint game (one goal, one assist) in a 5-4 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, which tied Rasmus Dahlin and Bobby Orr for the second-most in NHL history among 18-year-old defensemen. Next up is Phil Housley, who holds the record with 13. New Jersey is 1-4-0 in its past five games after going 5-1-0 in its previous six.

Sam I am

Mattias Samuelsson has been a force of late for the Buffalo Sabres, continuing to roll up the points in his best NHL season. The defenseman has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past eight games, giving him a League career-high 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 54 games, including two goals against the Lightning in a 4-3 overtime loss on Tuesday. The Sabres (32-18-6) are continuing to maintain their hold on a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which would be their first since 2011. They are 6-1-1 in their past eight games, part of a 21-4-2 stretch since Dec. 9, and can keep it going against the Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-12) at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG-B, SNE). The Penguins have lost two straight (0-1-1) following a six-game winning streak.

Aho 'Cane do

Much like his Carolina Hurricanes, Sebastian Aho is heading into the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026 on a roll. The center, who will play for Team Finland at the Olympics, has goals in his past three games, with five points (two assists) and will look for more when the Hurricanes (35-15-6) meet the New York Rangers (22-28-6) at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSG). Aho has 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 56 games, marking his 10th straight 20-goal season, tying Ron Francis for the longest in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history. Carolina, which defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on a third-period goal by captain Jordan Staal on Tuesday, has points in nine straight games (7-0-2) and is tied with Tampa Bay for the Eastern Conference lead. The Rangers, 2-10-1 in their past 13, are last in the East.

Going coastal

The Los Angeles Kings (23-18-14) made a seismic move Wednesday, acquiring forward Artemi Panarin in a trade with the Rangers and signing him to a two-year contract, although he won't be on the ice when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights (26-16-14) at T-Mobile Arena. The Kings, 1-2-1 following a three-game winning streak, hope adding Panarin will close the gap in the Pacific Division, where Los Angeles trails first-place Vegas by six points. The Golden Knights, who ended a five-game losing streak (0-3-2) with a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, will send nine players to the Olympics, including leading scorer Jack Eichel (66 points; 20 goals, 46 assists), who will play for Team USA.

The schedule

Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG-B, SNE)

New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSGSN)

Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSG)

Ottawa Senators at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN5, RDS)

Nashville Predators at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT)

Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNP, SNW, SNO, TVAS)

Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SCRIPPS, SNE, TVAS)