The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning are set for an Eastern Conference clash at Capital One Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 14, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
The Capitals are coming off a gritty 1-0 road win over the New York Rangers on Oct. 12. Tampa Bay also enters on a high note after edging the Boston Bruins 4-3 at TD Garden on Oct. 13.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning NHL game, plus plenty more.
Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning: Date and puck-drop time
The Washington Capitals will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in a highly anticipated NHL game on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 10:00 pm ET or 7:00 pm PT at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
| Date | Tuesday, October 14, 2025 |
| Puck-Drop Time | 10:00 pm ET or 7:00 pm PT |
| Venue | Capital One Arena |
| Location | Washington D.C. |
How to watch Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning on TV & stream live online
National TV channel: ESPN
Local TV channel: MNMT
Streaming service: Fubo
The Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning NHL game will be available to stream live on ESPN.
If you don't have cable TV, the best way to watch almost every NHL playoff game online is with Fubo, which offers a free-trial to new subscribers so you can try before you buy!
Streaming the game with a VPN
Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.
You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as Express VPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work, and you want to stream the game live. You can eventry ExpressVPN risk-freewith a 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you are not sure which VPN to use or how to use a VPN, we have taken a look at the best options available out there for watching live sports - check out the best VPN services review here.
Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning team news
Washington Capitals team news
Charlie Lindgren made quite the statement in his season debut for Washington, becoming just the seventh goalie in franchise history to post a shutout in his first start of the year. He stopped all 35 shots fired his way, keeping the Rangers off the board in a stellar performance. The lone goal came in the second period when Anthony Beauvillier deflected an Alex Ovechkin drive past Jonathan Quick, giving Washington all it needed to secure the win.
Tampa Bay Lightning team news
Tampa Bay’s attack has come out firing to start the season, putting up an average of 3.5 goals on just 21 shots per outing—a strong conversion rate that shows how efficient their scorers have been. The problem, however, has been on the other end of the ice. Defensively, the Lightning have struggled badly, surrendering five goals per game while allowing 31.5 shots across their first three contests.
Brayden Point has been the sparkplug offensively, pacing the team with four points and a team-best three assists. Darren Raddysh isn’t far behind with three points of his own, while Nikita Kucherov has chipped in two points, both of which have been goals—putting him at the top of the goal-scoring column for Tampa Bay early on.
Washington Capitals vs Tampa Bay Lightning head-to-head record
| Date | Competition | Home Team | Away Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01.03.25 | NHL | Washington Capitals | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 - 3 |
| 28.11.24 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | Washington Capitals | 4 - 5 |
| 27.10.24 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | Washington Capitals | 3 - 0 |
| 14.04.24 | NHL | Washington Capitals | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4 - 2 |
| 23.02.24 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | Washington Capitals | 3 - 5 |