Lightning and Avalanche Set to Clash: Projected Lineups and Game Preview
The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche tonight, November 4, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, and SN1. This inter-conference matchup pits two of the league's top teams against each other, with the Avalanche currently holding a 7-1-5 record and the Lightning sitting at 6-4-2.
Projected Lineups
Here are the projected lineups for both teams:
Tampa Bay Lightning:
- Forwards: Brandon Hagel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel - Anthony Cirelli - Curtis Douglas, Oliver Bjorkstrand - Dominic James - Gage Goncalves, Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Pontus Holmberg
- Defense: Victor Hedman - J.J. Moser, Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak, Emil Lilleberg - Max Crozier
- Goaltenders: Andrei Vasilevskiy (expected starter), Jonas Johansson
- Scratched: Jack Finley, Darren Raddysh, Charle-Edouard D'Astous
- Injured: Nick Paul (upper body)
Colorado Avalanche:
- Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas, Ross Colton - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog - Jack Drury - Victor Olofsson, Parker Kelly - Zakhar Bardakov - Tristen Nielsen
- Defense: Devon Toews - Cale Makar, Josh Manson - Brent Burns, Jack Ahcan - Sam Malinski
- Goaltenders: Scott Wedgewood (confirmed starter), Mackenzie Blackwood
- Scratched: Ilya Solovyov
- Injured: Samuel Girard (upper body), Gavin Brindley (concussion), Logan O'Connor (hip surgery), Joel Kiviranta (lower body)
Tristen Nielsen is set to make his NHL debut for the Avalanche. Max Crozier will return to the Lightning lineup after recovering from a lower-body injury.
Team Statistics and Key Players
The Avalanche have been a dominant force this season, leading the league in scoring with 3.6 goals per game while allowing just 2.5 goals against. Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with 10 goals and 9 assists. The Lightning, while not as offensively explosive as the Avalanche, have been solid, scoring 2.9 goals per game and allowing 2.8. Jake Guentzel (5 goals, 7 assists) and Anthony Cirelli (7 goals, 4 assists) have been key contributors for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy has a 1.96 goals-against average with a .917 save percentage in his last 10 games.
Storylines
The Lightning are currently riding a five-game winning streak. During this streak, they are averaging 3.4 goals per game and allowing just 1.8. The Avalanche had their two-game winning streak snapped in their last game, an overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. They are 5-1-4 in their last 10. This game marks the first time that Gabriel Landeskog will face the Lightning since the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Prediction
The Avalanche are favored to win this game, but the Lightning have been playing well recently and have the better goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy. The game is expected to be a tight, exciting contest between two of the league's top teams. One analysis predicts the Lightning to win 4-3. Another gives the edge to the Avalanche due to their home record and big-game experience.
