Kucherov Tips In OT Winner, Lightning Beat Red Wings 2-1
DETROIT (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored 3:28 into overtime to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Friday night.
Situated on the edge of the crease, Kucherov redirected a hard pass from Brayden Point into the net.
The Lightning are one point behind the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild card.
Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg opened the scoring 8:03 into the second period. Taking a backhand pass from Gustav Nyquist, Zetterberg flipped a knuckling wrist shot toward the goal and over the stick-side shoulder of goalie Andrei Vasilievskiy, who struggled to find the puck through the screen of teammate Point.
Tampa Bay pulled even early in the third period when Ondrej Palat slapped the rebound of Kucherov's shot into the net behind goalie Petr Mrazek at 5:53. For Kucherov, who netted a hat trick in Thursday's 6-3 win at Boston, it extended his point streak to four games. He has seven goals and two assists during that stretch.
The Lightning have won four in a row on the road and Vasilevskiy, who made 29 saves, ended a personal three-game losing skid.
NOTES: Detroit F Darren Helm missed his third straight game due to a lower-body injury. ... Zetterberg is the Red Wings nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. ... Lightning F Vladimir Namestnikov is the nephew of former Red Wings F Slava Kozlov. ... Since Feb. 21, Kucherov leads the NHL in scoring with 29 points. ... Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman (62) is closing in on the Lightning single-season record for points by a defenseman. Roman Hamrlik had 65 points in 1995-96.
UP NEXT
Lightning: Host Chicago on Monday.
Red Wings: Host Minnesota on Sunday.
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