The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, with puck drop scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay returns to Madison Square Garden looking for a different result after New York won the season-opening meeting 5-1.
Game Details
- Matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers
- Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
The date, venue and start time are listed in the Lightning’s NHL.com game preview. Neither team is playing the second half of a back-to-back. Tampa Bay last played at the New York Islanders on October 10, while the Rangers’ previous game was at Washington on October 9.
Matchup Breakdown
New York enters at 3-1-0, with victories over Tampa Bay, Detroit and Utah and a loss at Boston. The Lightning are 2-1-0 after responding to their opening loss against the Rangers with wins over Minnesota and the Islanders.
The first meeting produced a decisive Rangers victory, but special teams were a major part of that result. New York killed all seven Tampa Bay power plays, while Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal for the Rangers. The Lightning’s 0-for-7 performance with the man advantage is documented in the team’s recap of the 5-1 loss.
That creates a clear adjustment point for Tampa Bay. Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov were listed together on a recent forward line with Gage Goncalves, giving the Lightning high-end offensive talent around which to build their response. However, New York has already shown it can suppress that group by staying structured on the penalty kill.
The rematch also comes under different goaltending circumstances for the Rangers. That makes the opening result relevant, but not necessarily predictive of another comfortable New York win.
Goalies and Injury Watch
Projected Tampa Bay goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy. He is listed alongside backup Dennis Hildeby, but the Lightning had not officially confirmed a starter in the supplied preview. Bettors should check the final lineup before puck drop.
Projected New York goalie: Dylan Garand. This projection is driven by injuries rather than a confirmed announcement. According to the Covers matchup report, Igor Shesterkin is out for the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury, while Joonas Korpisalo is on injured reserve and expected to miss roughly four more weeks.
The Rangers’ injury list also includes Joseph Veleno on long-term injured reserve, Adam Sykora on injured reserve with a lower-body issue and Aidan Thompson on injured reserve. The available Lightning preview did not identify a specific Tampa Bay injury, but that should not be treated as confirmation of a completely healthy roster.
Goaltending confirmation is the biggest pregame variable. A Vasilevskiy-Garand matchup would provide Tampa Bay with a meaningful experience advantage, while a different Lightning starter would narrow that perceived edge.
Odds and Betting Considerations
Odds availability was limited when the supplied markets were checked around October 12, 2026. Covers did not display a published line, and OddsRun did not show accessible moneyline or total prices in its non-JavaScript view.
Fonbet displayed Tampa Bay at approximately 2.30 in decimal odds, New York at 2.65 and the draw at 4.20. Because a draw price was included, bettors should verify whether those are regulation-only three-way prices rather than full-game moneyline odds. Fonbet also listed a total of 6.5, with the over around 2.45 and the under around 1.50.
The short under price offers limited appeal given the uncertainty surrounding New York’s projected starter. Tampa Bay’s 2.30 price is more interesting if Vasilevskiy starts, but the market format and both goalie assignments should be confirmed before considering a wager.
Prediction
Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning to win.
New York’s 5-1 opening-night victory and perfect penalty kill in that game cannot be dismissed. Even so, Tampa Bay has won twice since that loss, has had time to address its power-play execution and could hold the more favorable goaltending matchup if Vasilevskiy faces Garand.
The main uncertainty is that neither starter was confirmed. New York has also already demonstrated that its defensive structure can frustrate Tampa Bay’s top players. The Lightning are therefore the pick in what should be a much closer rematch, but any betting decision is best delayed until the goalies and market rules are verified.
