Nikita Kucherov was just phenomenal on Sunday night, as the Tampa Bay Lightning took home a 4-1 victory against the New Jersey Devils.
Nevertheless, Kucherov did not only score the goal that lead his team to the victory. But also became the first player in the league to have 100 points this season with the man-of-the-match performance and a hat-trick.
The sensational Russian forward has been the best scorer with the total of 102 points.
Kucherov Leads Tampa Bay Lightning to Victory Over Devils with Stellar Playmaking and Goal Scoring
Kucherov‘s spectacular talent as a playmaker shone through especially as he provided the assists to Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, and Brandon Hagel, making them his 62nd, 63rd, and 64th assists for this season. Moreover, his goal scored the back of the net being his 38th score substantiated his meaningful contribution to goals scored.
Just as a wise move, Jonas Johansson decided to step into the goal as Vasilevskiy took a day off. Johansson finished with 18 saves, playing a part in the Lightning’s defense and attaining the win.
Tyler Tofolli did it and scored his 25th goal of the year. He made for the New Jersey Devils, by breaking through Tampa Bay’s defense. They on the other hand struggled, especially at the end of a two in two set of games considering the challenging history of 2-9-1 record.
With Akira Schmid making his first start after 21st Dec. It was an uphill task for him as Tampa Bay’s first line of Peron, Hagel and Kucherov is really dynamic. Schmid and his team made 23 saves, but the Devils still lacked the power to contain the Tampa Bay Lightning offense.
Kucherov’s Milestone: Lightning Star Seals Second Consecutive 100-Point Season in Style
The game tempo rose in the second period, as Kucherov scored a goal just a minute after the opening of the period. Also he gave Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-0 lead. He set up Hedman’s 10th goal of the season and assisted in Point’s 30th, which displayed the smooth teamwork across the team.
Hedman capitalized on Kucherov’s shot rebound to break the scoreless deadlock at 1:27 in the middle of the second period. Hagel sets the pace with a point streak that currently stands at 13 games. However, Pointexceeded the lead with his 30th goal scored in less than 3 minutes.
The Devils retaliated with a power-play goal by Toffoli at 6:01, after getting the lucky bounce off the skate of Tampa Bay Lightning player Darren Raddysh. Jack Hughes‘ feed resulted in an open-net chance for Toffoli, and thus, New Jersey inched closer.
Kucherov found the back of the net again with an empty-net goal late in the third period, completing his second consecutive 100-point season and fourth overall. The form of the dynamic forward`s performance this weekend, such as three points against the Islanders on Saturday. He is an indicator of his contribution to the team.
Upcoming Games
The Tampa Bay Lightning will square up against the Flyers on Tuesday. While the Devils will embark on a three-game West Coast trip. They will kick off with a clash against the San Jose Sharks on the same day.