Hedman, Kucherov Propel Streaking Lightning Past Kings 6-4
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Victor Hedman had two goals and an assist, Nikita Kucherov extended his scoring tear since returning from injury and the Tampa Bay Lightning topped the Los Angeles Kings 6-4 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight win.
Hedman was one of only four Tampa Bay defensemen who dressed after three were scratched due to injuries. He scored his first goal since Dec. 16 at 13:17 of the first period when he retrieved an errant pass in the Kings zone and beat Cal Petersen glove side on a breakaway to extend his point streak to four games.
Hedman then scored the go-ahead goal at 10:43 of the third when he took Kucherov's pass and scored on a snapshot. It was the ninth multigoal game of Hedman's career, and one of three third-period goals by the Lightning that put the game away.
Kucherov had a power-play goal in the second period along with an assist. The right wing, who missed 32 games with a lower-body injury that required surgery, has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in six games since returning to the lineup.
Mathieu Joseph and Steven Stamkos also had a goal and an assist apiece for the Lightning, who have a 10-game winning streak over the Kings. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 32 shots.
Blake Lizotte, Alex Iafallo, Arthur Kaliyev and Phillip Danault scored for the Kings, who have dropped two straight after a four-game winning streak. Petersen made 19 saves.