Kucherov Buries Three in Third as Tampa Romps in Buffalo
Lightning snap a one-game skid on the road, where they had been far less sure of themselves than at home.
Nikita Kucherov scored three times, all in the third period, and added an assist as the Lightning beat the Sabres 8-3 in Buffalo. He finished plus 3.
He played 17:30 over 21 shifts. That ranked eighth among Tampa Bay's 18 skaters and third among its 12 forwards, so this was not a night built on a team-high workload. His goals came at 1:25, 4:11 and 14:13 of the third.
Two of the goals and his assist came at even strength, three points in all. The other goal came on the power play, where he took three of his five shots on goal.
The night was a departure from his season line. Coming in, he had 8 goals in 18 games. He now has more than a third of them from this one game. He also took a giveaway, his only blemish on the sheet.
It was a needed road win for Tampa Bay, now 3-4-2 away from home, after a 4-3 loss in Winnipeg.
More from this game
- Player Game InsightCarlson Fills the Sheet From the Back End in Tampa's Buffalo Blowout
- Strong Player PerformanceVasilevskiy Turns Aside Every Sabres Shot Early in Buffalo
- Weak Player PerformanceSabres Out-Chance Tampa, Then Watch Eight Pucks Cross the Line
- Strong Player PerformanceHagel Keeps Finding the Good Ice as Lightning Bury Sabres