Nikita Kucherov continues building his Lightning legacy.
The Tampa Bay Lightning lost Steven Stamkos to the Nashville Predators in NHL Free Agency over the summer. Stamkos spent 16 years in central Florida, winning two Stanley Cups with the franchise. He left behind an incredible legacy. And he left the team in the hands of the likes of Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, and Brayden Point.
On Thursday, Kucherov took down a record held by Stamkos. The Lightning star recorded three points against the Utah Hockey Club at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. This gives Kucherov 104 career games with three points. He is now the Lightning's franchise leader for three-point games, surpassing Kucherov, according to NHL Public Relations.
Kucherov is playing at an MVP level despite seeing a small decline in offensive production. Entering play Thursday, the Lightning star has 31 goals and 101 points through 67 games. He has recorded his third-straight 100+ point campaign. Kucherov has also surpassed the 30-goal mark for the third consecutive season.
Lightning, Nikita Kucherov are dominating Utah Hockey Club
Kucherov and the Lightning are making a charge for the Atlantic Division championship during this stretch run of the season. If their performance on Thursday is any indication, they are capable of claiming the crown. The Lightning are absolutely dominating Utah by a score of 8-0 at the time of this writing.
Kucherov scored his goal in the second period to make it 4-0 Tampa. In the second period, he provided his first assist of the night on a goal from Jake Guentzel. His second assist came in the third period on Point's 36th goal of the season.
The Lightning are on track to win for the fifth time in their last seven games. Tampa Bay is firing on all cylinders ahead of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If this momentum carries over, Tampa will be a tough out once the puck drops on the postseason.
