Kucherov Orchestrates Two-Point Night in Tampa Bay Win
His playmaking set up the margin as the Lightning beat the Islanders, with one assist on the power play and another at empty net
Nikita Kucherov picked up the puck and made plays that finished the night with two assists in a 5-3 Tampa Bay victory. He logged 17:46 of ice time (ranked 8th among 18 skaters, 6th of 11 forwards) and recorded 2 points — a power-play assist and an empty-net assist — while adding one shot on goal, one takeaway, and one blocked shot. He had two giveaways and no penalty minutes across 22 shifts.
This game’s production sits with his early-season totals: through five games he has 8 points (1 goal, 7 assists) and averages 21.5 minutes on ice per game; tonight’s 17:46 was below that season average. Tampa Bay won the game, and Kucherov’s playmaking on special teams and late in the game supplied the finishing touches on the scoreboard.