Pregame analysis and predictions of the Utah Mammoth vs. Tampa Bay Lightning NHL game to be played on January 26, 2026 on ESPN.

The Lightning fell 8–5 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night, losing veteran defenseman Erik Cernak to injury.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Oliver Moore scored in the shootout on his 21st birthday and Spencer Knight stopped five of six shots by Carolina to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 shootout win over the Hurricanes on Thursday night.

The red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning try their luck Friday night in Chicago with a road matchup against the Blackhawks. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand.

Look for a convincing Lighting victory tonight in our picks, odds & expert predictions against the Blackhawks on Friday, January 23.

Dominic James scored in the fifth round of a shootout and the Tampa Bay Lightning made it 15 straight games without a regulation loss, outlasting the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Friday night.

Each Monday throughout the 2025-26 NHL season, ESPN and NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes will provide fans with a guide of games that will be nationally televised. Today, a look at games for the 17th week of the regular season.

The Lightning also lost right-shot defenseman Erik Cernak and forward Gage Goncalves, finishing Saturday’s game with just 11 forwards and four defensemen. They were off Sunday after arriving home just before 3 a.m., when their flight out of snowy Columbus was delayed, so there was no update on the injuries.