NHL play on Saturday includes a matchup in Tampa, Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning (0-1) and Washington Capitals (1-0) at Benchmark International Arena, starting at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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Capitals vs. Lightning: Oct. 3 Viewing Options
- Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Tampa, Florida
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
Lightning's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.49 | 4th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.79 | 3rd |
| Shots | 28 | 14th |
| Shots Allowed | 26.6 | 9th |
| Power Play % | 20.33% | 17th |
| Penalty Kill % | 82.56% | 3rd |
Capitals' 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.18 | 15th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.9 | 7th |
| Shots | 27.9 | 17th |
| Shots Allowed | 28.1 | 19th |
| Power Play % | 17.84% | 25th |
| Penalty Kill % | 80.16% | 14th |
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Capitals vs. Lightning Top Players
Lightning
- Nikita Kucherov, a leading offensive player last season for Tampa Bay, totaled 130 points on the season.
- Jake Guentzel recorded 88 points (38 goals, 50 assists), adding significantly to the team's offensive efforts last season.
- In 71 games a season ago, Brandon Hagel proved to be an important offensive option for Tampa Bay. He posted 74 points on the year (36 goals and 38 assists).
- In 58 games played last season, Andrei Vasilevskiy (39-15-4) yielded 132 goals.
Capitals
- Alex Tuch totaled 32 goals and 33 assists in 79 games for Washington last season, resulting in 65 points.
- Alexander Ovechkin collected 64 points last season, with 32 goals and 32 assists.
- Tom Wilson had 62 points, including 30 goals and 32 assists.
- Logan Thompson had a .912 save percentage (fifth-best in the league) last season, allowing 140 goals (2.4 goals against average). He put up a 31-21-6 record.
Capitals vs. Lightning Injury Report
Lightning
None
Capitals
None
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Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/1/2026 | Rangers | L 5-1 | Away |
| 10/3/2026 | Capitals | - | Home |
| 10/5/2026 | Flyers | - | Home |
| 10/8/2026 | Wild | - | Home |
| 10/10/2026 | Islanders | - | Away |
Capitals' Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/2/2026 | Hurricanes | W 5-2 | Away |
| 10/3/2026 | Lightning | - | Away |
| 10/7/2026 | Penguins | - | Home |
| 10/9/2026 | Rangers | - | Home |
| 10/11/2026 | Kraken | - | Home |