Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has been named the NHL’s First Star of the Month for March, joining Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins as the league’s “Three Stars.”
Despite missing two games due to illness, Kucherov was unstoppable in March, posting 26 points (9 goals, 17 assists) in 14 games to lead the league. His production helped Tampa Bay go 8-6-2 on the month, inching the Lightning closer to a second straight 100-point season and third in five years.
Kucherov has also emerged at the center of Hart Trophy discussions, currently tied in points with Nathan MacKinnon (121 points) while having played five fewer games, and seven fewer than Connor McDavid (125 points).
The two-time Art Ross Trophy winner found the scoresheet in 11 of 14 games, ranking among March’s leaders in assists (1st, 17), even-strength points (t-2nd, 18), even-strength assists (t-3rd, 11), goals (t-8th, 9), even-strength goals (t-8th, 7), and plus/minus (t-8th, +10).
Kucherov also hit several milestones during the month. His four-assist game on March 7 at Torontopushed him past 100 points for the fourth straight season and sixth time overall, tying him for seventh-most in NHL history. He notched six multi-point games in March, including three with at least four points, and reached 120 points for the third consecutive season and fourth time overall—a feat only eight players in NHL history have accomplished, including Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Connor McDavid.