How to watch Pittsburgh Penguins at Tampa Bay Lightning: time, details, live steam

The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Tampa Bay Lightning looking to break a three-game road skid and get their power play back on track.

The game at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday and will stream on ESPN+ , one of 14 games you can see on that network tonight.

Pittsburgh enters tonight at 10-10-1, seventh in the Metropolitan Division, and Tampa Bay comes in with a 10-8-5 record, fifth in the Atlantic Division. Neither team is streaking, the Penguins are 5-4-1 in the last 10 games, averaging 2.7 goals while giving up 2.3 goals. They have lost three straight.

The Lightning are 4-5-1, averaging 3.0 goals and giving up 3.4 goals per game.

Part of what has been stifling the Penguins is their power play: 0-for-20 over their last eight games. They were able to overcome a 2-0 deficit Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators, only to fall in overtime. In that game, they failed to score on both power-play chances.

One positive was the return of Bryan Rust, who had missed three games with a lower-back injury. He tied the game at 2:26 of the third when his shot from the right side deflected off Nashville defenseman Jeremy Lauzon, according to an Associated Press account .

“Always nice to score goals, but it’s always nice to get on the scoresheet when you’ve been out for a little while,” Rust said. “It’s something that gives a little bit of confidence and I hope I can keep my game going in the right direction.”

Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel lead the Penguins, both with 24 points. Tristan Jarry has carried the load in goal, amassing a 2.48 goals-against average in 16 games.

Coming off a five-game point streak, Tampa Bay enters having lost two straight after dropping a 4-1 game at Colorado on Monday night and then 3-1 to the visiting Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.

Brayden Point scored and Jonas Johansson had 22 saves for the Lightning, who went 0 for 2 on the power play.

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson (31) gives up a goal to Arizona Coyotes' Travis Boyd as Coyotes left wing Milos Kelemen (21) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)AP

“If you’re not getting power plays in the game, it’s not going to do it for you so you have to score 5 on 5,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said, according to The Associated Press . “It’s just been tough for us.”

Nikita Kucherov leads the Lightning in scoring with 37 points, followed by Brayden Point (30). Jonas Johansson has played 18 games in goal and has a 3.39 goals-against average.

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