Lightning 6, Golden Knights 2 — October 20, 2026: recap and analysis

TBLTBL
Tampa Bay Lightning
6-2-0 · W2 · L10: 6-2-0
W
W
L
W
W
W
W
L
Final
6—2
Oct 20, 2026 · T-Mobile Arena
VGKVGK
Vegas Golden Knights
8-2-0 · W3 · L10: 8-2-0
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
W
L
W

Final score: Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Vegas Golden Knights 2. Lightning won with fewer expected goals, 3.05 to 5.10. PuckLab's first star: Andrei Vasilevskiy (32/34 saves, .941 SV%, +3.2 GSAX). Pre-game PuckLab Edge: Golden Knights, 56% (lost).

xG Flow

CUMULATIVE
012341ST2ND3RD
TBL xG
3.05
ACTUAL
6 — 2
VGK xG
5.10

Scoring Timeline

0.13
HIGH xG
TBL1P 04:11Power Play
TBL 1 - 0 VGK
0.07
MED xG
VGK1P 13:16Even Strength
TBL 1 - 1 VGK
0.18
HIGH xG
TBL1P 14:04Even Strength
John Carlson
74
John Carlson(3)
D · TBL · #74
TBL 2 - 1 VGK
0.25
HIGH xG
VGK1P 18:30Short-handed
Mark Stone
61
TBL 2 - 2 VGK
0.48
HIGH xG
TBL2P 06:44Even Strength
TBL 3 - 2 VGK
0.23
HIGH xG
TBL2P 10:09Even Strength
Anthony Cirelli
71
Anthony Cirelli(3)
C · TBL · #71
TBL 4 - 2 VGK
0.01
LOW xG
TBL2P 17:56Even Strength
Victor Hedman
77
Victor Hedman(2)
D · TBL · #77
TBL 5 - 2 VGK
0.19
HIGH xG
TBL3P 05:16Even Strength
Nikita Kucherov
86
Nikita Kucherov(4)
R · TBL · #86
TBL 6 - 2 VGK

Three Stars

PUCKLAB PICKS
★1
Andrei Vasilevskiy
88
Andrei Vasilevskiy
G · TBL · #88
32/34 saves, .941 SV%, +3.2 GSAX
★2
Nikita Kucherov
86
Nikita Kucherov
R · TBL · #86
1G, 2A, 2 SOG
★3
Anthony Cirelli
71
Anthony Cirelli
C · TBL · #71
2G, 2 SOG

Team Stats

TBLVGK
21Shots34
3.05xGF5.10
50.55v5 CF%49.5
56.9FO%43.1
1/3PP0/4
13Hits24
13Blocks17
22Giveaways18
4Takeaways3
8PIM6

Period Breakdown

PeriodTBL SOGVGK SOGTBL xGVGK xG
1st7110.911.49
2nd7151.462.07
3rd780.671.53
Total21343.055.10

Penalties

7 TOTAL
1P 03:32
VGK
Dylan CoghlanHolding (2 min)
Drawn by Ilya Mikheyev
1P 07:38
TBL
Conor GeekieUnsportsmanlike conduct (2 min)
Drawn by Marc Gatcomb
1P 17:06
VGK
Brayden McNabbHigh-sticking (2 min)
Drawn by Brayden Point
2P 01:18
VGK
Mitch MarnerTripping (2 min)
Drawn by J.J. Moser
2P 01:41
TBL
Charle-Edouard D'AstousInterference (2 min)
Drawn by William Karlsson
2P 12:31
TBL
Pontus HolmbergHolding (2 min)
Drawn by Nic Dowd
3P 01:24
TBL
Emil LillebergCross-checking (2 min)
Drawn by Brett Howden

Lineups