Saturday's NHL play will see the Columbus Blue Jackets (1-3) hit the ice against the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-2-2), starting at 7 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena and broadcast on ESPN+.
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Blue Jackets vs. Lightning: Oct. 18 Viewing Options
- Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Venue: Nationwide Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
Blue Jackets' 2024-25 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 3.26 | 7th |
| Goals Allowed | 3.26 | 25th |
| Shots | 29.0 | 10th |
| Shots Allowed | 29.9 | 28th |
| Power Play % | 18.92% | 23rd |
| Penalty Kill % | 76.96% | 22nd |
Lightning's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 2.80 | 20th |
| Goals Allowed | 3.60 | 23rd |
| Shots | 23.2 | 30th |
| Shots Allowed | 31.0 | 27th |
| Power Play % | 23.08% | 9th |
| Penalty Kill % | 89.47% | 10th |
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Blue Jackets vs. Lightning Top Players
Blue Jackets
- Zachary Werenski, a leading offensive player a season ago for Columbus, registered 82 points on the season.
- Kirill Marchenko had 31 goals and 43 assists for Columbus last season, totaling 74 points (0.9 per game).
- Sean Monahan generated 57 points for Columbus in 54 games a season ago, scoring on 14.7% of his shots and recording 19 goals and 38 assists.
- In the 53 games Elvis Merzlikins played a season ago, his save percentage was .892, 47th in the league.
Lightning
- Brayden Point has scored two goals (0.4 per game) and dished out three assists (0.6 per game), contributing to the Tampa Bay offense with five total points (1.0 per game). He averages 2.0 shots per game, shooting 20%.
- Jake Guentzel has racked up five total points (1.0 per game) this campaign. He has one goal and four assists.
- Victor Hedman has four points so far, including zero goals and four assists.
- Andrei Vasilevskiy is 0-2-2 in four games this season, conceding 14 goals (3.5 goals against average) with 107 saves and an .884 save percentage (37th in the league).
Blue Jackets vs. Lightning Injury Report
Blue Jackets
Luca Marrelli: Out (Shoulder),
Erik Gudbranson: Out (Upper Body),
Miles Wood: Out (Upper Body)
Lightning
Niko Huuhtanen: Out (Undisclosed),
Nicholas Paul: Out (Upper Body),
Zemgus Girgensons: Out (Undisclosed),
Nikita Kucherov: Day-To-Day (Illness),
Max Crozier: Out (Undisclosed)
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Blue Jackets' Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/11/2025 | Wild | W 7-4 | Away |
| 10/13/2025 | Devils | L 3-2 | Home |
| 10/16/2025 | Avalanche | L 4-1 | Home |
| 10/18/2025 | Lightning | - | Home |
| 10/21/2025 | Stars | - | Away |
| 10/24/2025 | Capitals | - | Home |
| 10/25/2025 | Penguins | - | Away |
Lightning's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/13/2025 | Bruins | W 4-3 | Away |
| 10/14/2025 | Capitals | L 3-2 | Away |
| 10/17/2025 | Red Wings | L 2-1 | Away |
| 10/18/2025 | Blue Jackets | - | Away |
| 10/23/2025 | Blackhawks | - | Home |
| 10/25/2025 | Ducks | - | Home |
| 10/26/2025 | Golden Knights | - | Home |