Kucherov Fires Away but Tampa Can't Solve Detroit
Red Wings leave the Lightning's building with a 2-0 win while the Tampa star finishes a minus two night without a point.
Nikita Kucherov had plenty of looks and nothing to show for them. The Lightning forward went without a point, finished minus 2 and watched Detroit take a 2-0 win at Tampa.
He played 24:13 over 23 shifts, second among Tampa Bay skaters and second among the team's forwards. He put 5 shots on goal, four at even strength and one on the power play, and added 2 hits, 1 takeaway and 1 giveaway. He took no penalties.
That is a departure from his season line of 8 goals and 20 assists in 20 games, a steady producer who averages 21.2 minutes a night. The five shots were a healthy number against a season total of 63, but none found the net.
The Lightning, 13-5-2 and first in the Atlantic, now carry a one-game losing streak.